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Objective:This study examined the prevalence and correlates of probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in freshman entering college and prospective associations of probable PTSD with additional outcomes. Participants: 2,310 students with data collected from Fall 2014 through Spring 2015. Methods: Incoming freshman completed a survey assessing for relevant variables at the beginning of fall semester and during the spring semester. Results: Seventy percent of the sample endorsed experiencing at least one potentially traumatic event (PTE). 34.4% of PTE exposed individuals met criteria for probable PTSD. Female sex, higher depressive and anxiety symptoms, and interpersonal PTE count were positively associated with PTSD symptoms. Higher PTSD symptoms were associated with higher anxiety and depressive symptoms, and new-onset interpersonal PTE. Conclusions: Identification of factors contributing to risk for PTSD is essential to inform prevention and intervention efforts. Intervention efforts should be targeted to students experiencing PTSD symptoms as they enter college.

Objective: This study examined the moderating and mediating effects of perceived social support on the association between precollege sexual assault (SA) and college-onset SA. Participants: A representative sample of 6,132 undergraduates. Methods: The PLUM procedure in SPSS was used to test the moderation model, with individual regressions conducted in a hierarchical fashion. A weighted least squared mean and variance adjusted (WLSMV) mediation model was used to examine the mediating effect of social support. Results: Precollege SA significantly predicted college-onset SA. Social support significantly mediated the relation between precollege SA and college-onset SA. Social support was not a significant moderator of this relationship. Conclusions: Given the high prevalence of SA among college populations, as well as the high rates of SA revictimization, identification of factors that may be related to repeated SA (e.g., low social support) within this population are essential and may inform intervention, policy, and university student services.

Background: Twin studies demonstrate that measures of alcohol consumption (AC) show evidence of genetic influence, suggesting they may be useful in gene identification efforts. The extent to which these phenotypes will be informative in identifying susceptibility genes involved in alcohol dependence depends on the extent to which genetic influences are shared across measures of AC and alcohol problems. Previous studies have demonstrated that AC reported for the period of heaviest lifetime drinking shows a large degree of genetic overlap with alcohol dependence; however, many studies with genetic material assess current AC. Further, there are many different aspects of AC that can be assessed (e.g., frequency of use, quantity of use, and frequency of intoxication). Methods: Here, we use data from 2 large, independent, population-based twin samples, FinnTwin 16 and The Virginia Adult Twin Study of Psychiatric and Substance Use Disorders, to examine the extent to which genetic influences are shared across many different measures of AC and alcohol problems. Results: Genetic correlations across current AC measures and alcohol problems were high across both samples. However, both samples suggest a complex genetic architecture with many different genetic factors influencing various aspects of current AC and problems. Conclusions: These results suggest that careful attention must be paid to the phenotype in efforts to 'replicate' genetic effects across samples or combine samples for meta-analyses of genetic effects influencing susceptibility to alcohol-related outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current longitudinal study examined associations between interpersonal potentially traumatic events (PTEs; i.e., sexual or physical assault) and changes in alcohol consumption among incoming college students.Methods: 1197 students (68% female) participating in a university-wide research study were included in analyses. Assessments were administered at three time-points and included measures of alcohol use, PTEs (Life Events Checklist), and a screener for possible PTSD symptoms (abbreviated Primary Care PTSD Screen). Linear growth curve models were fit to the three repeated measures of alcohol quantity and frequency to determine the role of pre-college and college-onset interpersonal PTEs and possible PTSD symptoms on patterns of alcohol use.Results: Pre-college interpersonal PTE was associated with greater baseline alcohol use for female but not male students. College-onset interpersonal PTE predicted greater alcohol use at concurrent and future assessments for women but not men, beyond the effects of pre-college PTE. Pre-college possible PTSD symptoms did not predict baseline or change in alcohol use.Conclusions: There may be a stronger and longer-lasting impact of interpersonal PTE for college women compared to men on alcohol phenotypes, although replication in studies oversampling men endorsing interpersonal PTE is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed fundamental challenges on nearly every area of life., Objective: The purpose of the current study was to expand on the literature on the impact of the pandemic on college students by a) examining domains of impact of the pandemic on psychiatric and alcohol outcomes and b) controlling for pre-pandemic outcomes., Method: Participants included 897 college students (78.6% female) from a larger longitudinal study on college student mental health. Structural equation models were fit to examine how COVID-19 impact (exposure, worry, food/housing insecurity, change in social media use, change in substance use) were associated with PTSD, anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and alcohol phenotypes. Models were fit to adjust for pre-pandemic symptoms., Results: No effects of COVID-19 exposure remained after adjusting for earlier outcomes. COVID-19 worry predicted PTSD, depression, and anxiety, even after adjusting for earlier levels of outcomes (β's: .091-.180, p 's < .05). Housing/food concerns predicted PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms as well as suicidal ideation (β's: .085-.551, p 's < .05) after adjusting for earlier levels of symptoms. Change in media use predicted alcohol consumption (β's: ± .116-.197, p 's < .05). Change in substance use affected all outcomes except suicidality (β's: .112-.591, p 's < .05)., Conclusions: Domains of COVID-19 impact had differential effects on mental health and substance outcomes in college students during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Future studies should examine the trajectory of these factors on college student mental health across waves of the pandemic., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)