Men's Sexual Risk Behaviors: Alcohol, Sexual Aggression, and Emotional Factors
Sexual BehaviorAlcohol Drinking2 moreAlthough correct, consistent condom use can greatly reduce sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies, resistance of condom use is common among young adults. Young men's alcohol intoxication and sexual aggression history are predictive of greater condom use resistance and other sexual risk behaviors (e.g., unprotected sex). Moreover, emotional factors may play a role in these associations, suggesting a promising avenue for continued research. This project builds upon our prior research through investigation of the emotional mechanisms involved in young men's alcohol-related sexual risk behavior. This research addresses a critical knowledge gap and advances the field through the use of multiple methods designed to evaluate distal and proximal emotional factors implicated in alcohol-related sexual risk. Male drinkers aged 21-30 who use condoms inconsistently (N = 420) will first complete a screening procedure followed by a baseline survey that will assess relevant constructs, including emotional traits, emotion dysregulation tendencies, and alcohol expectancies. They will then complete a 30-day daily diary assessment of their daily emotional states, daily coping motives pertaining to drinking and sex, and daily drinking and sexual risk behaviors to evaluate daily relationships among these factors. The same participants will complete an in-lab experiment assessing in-the-moment effects of alcohol intoxication and provocation on emotional states and sexual risk intentions. Statistical analyses will be used to examine the daily influence of emotional states and coping motives on alcohol consumption and sexual risk behaviors and the experimental effects of alcohol intoxication and provocation on emotional states and other mediators, as well as sexual risk intentions. Moderating effects of emotion dysregulation tendencies will also be examined, and the linkages between event-level and experimental relationships will be investigated. This research is both significant and innovative in that it will address the public health concern of men's sexual risk behaviors, including condom use resistance; will evaluate the role of emotional processes in men's alcohol-related sexual risk; and will use multiple methods to gather complementary types of data that will elucidate the mechanisms underlying alcohol-related sexual risk behaviors and provide an empirical evidence base from which to develop and inform prevention and intervention programs.
Preventing Aggression in Veterans With Dementia
DementiaAggression1 moreThis study tests whether education about memory and pain might help to prevent aggression in persons with dementia who have pain. The overall goal of this intervention is to reduce the risk of aggressive behavior by improving several areas of patient life that are known causes of aggression: pain, depression, lack of pleasurable activities, caregiver stress and difficulty in caregiver-patient communication.
Aggressive Behavior Induced by Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) During the First...
Adverse EffectsAggressionSSRIs are the first line of therapy for anxiety and depressive disorders and for many other clinical diagnoses. One of the most disturbing side effects that is observed is a tendency towards aggressiveness among patients receiving medications from this group, mainly during the first month of therapy. Aggressive behavior tends to occur in some individuals but not in others. In some sub-groups of people, personality and character traits might make a person more prone to aggressive behavior. In this study the investigators try to estimate the tendency towards aggressive behavior in patients prescribed to a medication from the SSRI group. By using a comparative computer simulation they hope to be able to detect delicate changes and to maybe get some clues of the personalities prone to aggressive behavior in the future.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Offenders
AggressionRisk-Taking1 moreThis study investigates the effect of upregulating prefrontal cortex activity on risk-taking, and antisocial and aggressive behavior in violent offenders. In the double-blind, randomized controlled trial, using a within-subject crossover design, each participant will undergo anodal transcranial direct current stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and sham stimulation. After each stimulation session, neural activity and behavioral responses to tasks assessing risk-taking and aggressive behavior will be recorded. The effect of tDCS on violent offenders will also be assessed in comparison to age and gender-matched healthy controls.
The Effect of Prefrontal Cortex Stimulation on Antisocial and Aggressive Behavior
Antisocial BehaviorAggressionThis study investigates the effect of upregulating prefrontal cortex activity on antisocial and aggressive behavior and risk factors for such behavior. In the double-blind, randomized controlled trial, participants will undergo anodal transcranial direct current stimulation bilaterally to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or a sham stimulation. During and after stimulation, they will complete survey and laboratory measures assessing antisocial and aggressive behavior and risk factors for antisocial and aggressive behavior. Heart rate and skin conductance will also be measured.
Alternative Antibiotic Regime in the Treatment of GAgP
Generalized Aggressive PeriodontitisAggressive PeriodontitisThe objective of this randomized clinical study was to evaluate the effect of systemic administration of moxifloxacin compared to amoxicillin plus metronidazole combined with non-surgical treatment in patients with generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP) in 6-month follow-up. A total of 40 systemically healthy patients with GAgP will evaluate in this randomized clinical trial. Periodontal parameters (plaque index, gingival index, probing depth, bleeding on probing, clinical attachment level) will be recorded at baseline, 1st, 3rd and 6th month. Patients will receive either 400 mg moxifloxacin per os once daily or 500 mg metronidazole and 500 mg amoxicillin per os three times daily for 7 days consecutively.
Managing Patient Aggression in Mental Health Services
AggressionMental DisordersTo compare the effects of an educational intervention to usual practice (no specified staff education) on improving treatment culture and supporting team climate in staff members, which further could reduce the need for the use of coercive methods in psychiatric care.
Influence of Smoking on Clinical, Microbiological and Immunologic Parameters in Patients With Aggressive...
Periodontal DiseasesAggressive PeriodontitisTreatment of smoker patients with AgP is considered a challenge to periodontists. To date, only one controlled clinical study (De Genaro Modanese et al., 2016) evaluated the effect of full mouth ultrasonic debridment (FMUD) on smokers with aggressive periodontitis. Its results showed significant improvements in clinical parameters (plaque index PI, bleeding on probing- BoP and probing depth-PD), and immunologic (reductions in interleukin 6- IL-6, tumor necrosis factor- α TNF-α levels), although the results were more favorable for non-smoking patients. Antimicrobials associated to mechanical therapy has been extensively studied (Hafajee et al., 2003, Heitz-Mayfield, 2006). The association of Amoxicillin and Metronidazole have had good clinical and microbiological results in randomized clinical trials in the treatment of AgP (Casarin et al., 2012, Sgolastra et al., 2012, Keestra et al., 2015). Thus, this study investigates clinical, microbiological and immunological influence of smoking in the periodontal debridement associated to Amoxiciclin and Metronidazole of young individuals with pronounced periodontal destruction, compared with non-smokers individuals.
Identifying Precursors to Severe Problem Behavior
Problem BehaviorAggressionThe primary objective of this research is to evaluate the escalating sequence of behavior that culminates in severe problem behavior (SPB, such as aggression, self-injury, and disruption). To do so, we will investigate the precursors of SPB, which are defined as behaviors that are not as severe or dangerous as SPB, but that reliably precede the occurrence of SPB. Identifying and knowing about these precursors has the potential to complement existing behavioral treatments, making treatments safer (because SPB may occur to a lesser extent or not at all). However, existing research on precursors has been opportunistic and lacks systematic study. This research will examine methods to identify and better understand precursors.
Intervention to Support the Reintegration of Former Combatants and Soldiers
Appetitive AggressionPost-traumatic Stress DisorderThe project aims to investigate if trauma-related disorders and appetitive aggression can be reduced in former ex-combatants in DR Congo when a specific intervention (Narrative Exposure Therapy for Forensic Offender Rehabilitation, FORNET) is delivered by trained local personnel (phase 1). In a second step, the project aims to investigates the treatment success if this specific therapy is carried out by local personnel who have been trained by other local personnel ("train the trainer", phase 2) under the supervision of experts of the University of Konstanz.