Narcan is an over-the-counter nasal spray used to reverse the effect of opioid overdoses. In 2022, approximately 110,000 fatalities resulted from opioid overdoses in the United States. Considering the high rates of opioid overdose fatalities, it is important to employ a community-based approach to the distribution of Narcan. To address this, a survey was distributed to individuals in a local Fort Worth community center (N = 5) to evaluate the utilization of Narcan. Following the survey, each participant was given one box (2 doses) of Narcan to take home. One month after the initial survey, participants completed a follow-up survey , indicating if they had used or given away the Narcan. While we do not expect the majority of participants to have used the Narcan within this timeframe , we expect to find high willingness to use Narcan in the case of an emergency. The distribution of Narcan can provide a resource to families as a precaution to prevent potential opioid related deaths in this community. Study implications highlight a greater need for community education and increased distribution of Narcan to improve public perceptions and reduce instances of opioid overdose in the Fort Worth community.

The Impact of Determined Behavior on Ratings of Determinism and Outlook
Cagney K., Nerz J., Jones S., & Leising K.J.
A deterministic position claims that all decisions are ultimately the result of external events (e.g., current conditions and past experiences). In contrast, indeterminism (free will) maintains that a decision can emanate solely from within (independent of external influences). Research has found that deterministic perspectives are rated as more negative than indeterminist perspectives, perhaps due to the loss of agency associated with determinism. This study examined whether manipulating the functional value of a behavior would alter ratings of a deterministic perspective, as well as, personal agency and optimism. Half of the participants were instructed to click a white box each time it appeared (i.e., determinism), and the other half were told to click the box whenever they wanted (i.e., indeterminism). Additionally, for half of the participants in each group, a response to the box changed its color (high behavioral utility), whereas, for the remaining participants, clicking the box did not change anything (low behavioral utility). Participants then assessed deterministic perspectives, and personal optimism and agency. It was hypothesized that high behavioral utility would attenuate the negative response to determinism. However, the results revealed that the determinism groups had a more negative view of determinism, regardless of the utility of their behavior. Those with less favorable views of determinism reported lower optimism, and those with lower optimism reported a lower sense of agency.

Felt-safety is the emotional and physical components of safety and fills the gap between knowing you are safe and feeling you are safe. Felt-safety is a critical aspect of development because it allows an individual to move from their lower functioning automatic brain to higher level centers capable of reasoning and learning. Youth who are in foster care, particularly youth in residential care settings, experience frequent change and many new environments. We investigated whether felt-safety levels could be increased in a local group home through “Life Skill” lessons. We used “Life Skill” lessons to help build the relational connections among residents and between residents and staff. Before undergoing “Life Skill” lessons participants took an online written assessment which measured: felt-safety using The Neuroception of Psychological Safety Scale (NPSS), attachment using The Experiences in Close Relationships Scale (ECR), and psychological wellbeing using the Psychological-Wellbeing Scale (PWB). Our hypothesis was to see increases in felt-safety and gain evidence for best practices in increasing safety levels among youth in highly volatile environments. A second hypothesis was to see an increase in psychological wellbeing in connection to felt-safety. A Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test was used to determine significance between Time 1 and Time 2. Interestingly, there was found to be a significant decrease in felt-safety levels and the difference in psychological wellbeing was insignificant. Overall, this research helped quantify levels of felt-safety and wellbeing amongst youth in residential care.

Narcan, also known by its generic name naloxone, is a life-saving medication used to reverse an overdose from opioids—including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioid medications—when given in time after an overdose event. It works by blocking the effects of opioids on the brain and can quickly restore normal breathing, working to prevent fatal outcomes. In our study, we administered a survey to participants at two sites in Tarrant County, one in the Las Vegas Trail community, and the other at the Fort Worth Central Bus Station. The survey consisted of questions measuring the attitudes, knowledge, and misconceptions of Narcan and substance use among people in Tarrant County. We expect to find high levels of stigma surrounding drug use and Narcan. Understanding attitudes about Narcan is crucial as it has a direct impact on public health by potentially saving lives through the reversal of opioid overdoses. Additionally, it plays a role in reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders and addiction, as attitudes toward Narcan can reflect broader societal views on these issues. Finally, community attitudes toward Narcan can influence how communities respond to overdoses and support individuals in recovery, making it essential to engage communities in overdose prevention and response efforts.

Historically, women have been less willing to engage in short-term mating than men. However, hormonal birth control seems to change the reproductive costs associated with short-term sexual behaviors as women who use hormonal birth control exhibit short-term mating cognitions similar to men. Additionally, women who use hormonal birth control are much more sexually unrestricted than women who are naturally cycling. To date, there has been no research looking at how using hormonal birth control impacts women’s real-life sexual behaviors as all studies looking at the impacts of hormonal birth control on women’s mating behaviors have been surveys. Thus, the present research aims to examine the real-life impact of hormonal birth control on women’s sexual behaviors and more specifically, how using hormonal birth control impacts women’s short-term mating behaviors. We predict that women who use hormonal birth control will be more willing to say yes to engaging in uncommitted sexual behavior than women who are naturally cycling since women who use hormonal birth control are utilizing an environmental intervention that impacts the reproductive costs associated with short-term sexual mating. Data collection is ongoing.