Colder | Eiden | Lengua | Hawk | Read | Wieczorek

In this longitudinal study, Principal Investigator Dr. Craig Colder of UB’s Department of Psychology examined how shifts in appetitive motivation converge with community and peer contexts to influence both implicit and explicit beliefs supportive of substance use. Starting from developmental-ecological theory that posits the initiation of substance use in childhood and adolescence is a function of reciprocal and interacting influences between individuals and their socio-environmental context, a sample of 10-12 year old children were assessed across three waves. This allowed for the examination of how changes in these constructs presaged substance use. Child motivational profiles based on approach, inhibition and self-regulation were assessed using laboratory tasks, physiological indicators and parent reports. Multiple methods were used to assess beliefs about substance use, and peer and community context. This research has the potential to provide important direction for how the content of substance use preventive interventions could be tailored for specific populations and to target relevant etiological processes for maximal effectiveness. His co-investigators included RIA’s Dr. Rina Eiden and Dr. Liliana Lengua of the University of Washington, Drs. Larry Hawk and Jennifer Read of UB's Department of Psychology, and Dr. William Wieczorek of Buffalo State College. Funded by NIDA to Dr. Colder, subaccount to RIA, 2006-2011.