The perceived stigma of substance abuse scale: Reliability and validity with substance using people living with HIV

Drug and Alcohol Dependence 156 (2015) e183–e245 e215 The perceived stigma of substance abuse scale: Reliability and validity with substance using people living with HIV Kristi Stringer1,∗, Joseph E. Schumacher2, Janet M. Turan3, Michael Mugavero4, Mirjam C. Kempf5, Elizabeth Baker1 1 Sociology, University Of Alabama at Birmingham, Hoover, AL, United States 2 Dept of Medicine/Div of Preventive Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States 3 Health Care Organization and Policy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States 4 School of Medicine/Div. of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States 5 UAB School of Nursing/Center for Nursing Research, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States Aims: Substance use (SU) stigma may be especially deleterious forpeople livingwithHIV (PLHIV), impactingbothSUandHIV treatment. To date, tools to assess SU stigma are limited to use with people in treatment programs, & no tool has been validated for use in PLHIV. This study examines the reliability & validity of the PSAS for use with PLHIV who are current users. Methods: The PSASwas administered to154 PLHIVwho are current substance users and who attend a University outpatient HIV clinic for care. Data was examined for internal & reliabilty. Results: The mean of the PSAS was 20.89 (SD=4.24) (range: 08–32, higher scores equals greater levels of perceived stigma). Confirmatory analysis indicate that a one-factor solution fits, with an eigenvalue of 3.06, explaining 38.27% of the variance. Reliability coefficients, including Cronbach’s alpha (〈=0.734), Guttman splithalf (0.706), and item–total correlations indicate adequate internal reliability. Convergent validity was demonstrated through correlations with the fear of enacted SU stigma scale (r= .399, p< .000), the SU Stigma Avoidance Scale (r= .328, p< .000), & the internalized HIV-related stigma scale (r= .195, p< .05). To assess divergent validity, perceived SA stigma was not significantly correlated with measures of the number of close friends a person reports having (r=−.055] or close relatives a person reports having (r=−.055). Conclusions: The PSAS scale is a reliable and valid instrument for use with current users living with HIV. Financial Support: Research reported was supported by NIDA/NIH (Award Number F31DA037106). The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not represent the official views of the NIH. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.07.579 The role of serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) and 2C (5-HT2C) receptors in the association between BINGE eating and impulsive action Sonja J. Stutz1,∗, Noelle C. Anastasio1,2, Kathryn A. Cunningham1,2 1 Center for Addiction Research, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States 2 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, United States Aims: Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most prevalent eating disorder in the U.S., and is linked to severe obesity and psychological and medical morbidity. Impulsive action is a key factor underlying the etiology and evolving pathogenesis of BED. We hypothesize that impulsive action and binge eating are mechanistically-linked to disrupted serotonin (5-HT) signaling through 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR in brain regions, particularly the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), that drive the incentivemotivational salience of food and cues that predict food. Methods: Rats were identified as high (HI) or low (LI) impulsive actionphenotypes in the 1-choice serial reaction time (1-CSRT) task. Binge eating in HI vs. LI (n=12/group) was assessed upon 2-hr access to high-fat chow. HI and LI were subjected to a self-administration/forced abstinence paradigm to assess the reinforcing and motivational efficacy of high-fat pellets and associated cues. The mPFC 5-HT2AR and 5-HT2CR protein expression profiles were identified in HI vs. LI rats. Results: HI consumed significantly more kcal during the 2-hr binge vs. LI (p<0.05). The reinforcing efficacy of high-fat pellets was identical in HI and LI. HI exhibited a higher breakpoint for high-fat pellets and higher cue reactivity vs. LI (p<0.05). A positive correlation between premature responses and the ratio of 5-HT2AR:5-HT2CR protein expression in the mPFC (r=0.558, p<0.01) was observed. Conclusions: These data suggest that the level of inherent impulsive action is a determinant of the magnitude of binge eating high-fat chow. We propose that high-fat food is more “wanted” by HI vs. LI, making impulsive responding and binge intake more difficult to withhold in HI. Further, these data support the hypothesis that inherent impulsive actionandbingeeating coalesce at the level of imbalanced 5-HT2AR:5-HT2CR homeostasis within the mPFC. Financial Support: Klarman Family Foundation for Eating Disorders, K99 DA033374 (NCA), K05 DA020087 (KAC). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.07.580 Comorbidity and functioning of substance-dependent women with sexual abuse history in the stage II women’s recovery group therapy trial Dawn E. Sugarman1,2,∗, Brittany Iles2, Shelly F. Greenfield1,2 1 Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, United States 2 Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse; Division of Women’s Mental Health, McLean Hospital, Belmont,