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Virginia Tech

Cumulative Vulnerabilities: Substance Use in Adolescence and in Recovery

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs) pose a significant health and economic concern in the United States. Conditions and comorbidities exist that are associated with substance use onset, continuation, and outcomes. In the theory of Reinforcer Pathology, we can categorize these conditions into vulnerabilities, or factors that may be associated with susceptibility to substance use onset and poorer outcomes in substance use recovery. The theory of vulnerabilities and reinforcer pathology is tested through three investigations. The first investigation sought to establish the relationship between cumulative vulnerabilities and adolescent substance use in a cross-sectional analysis. The second investigation evaluates the temporal relationship of cumulative vulnerabilities and substance use among adolescents. The final investigation establishes the relationship of cumulative vulnerabilities and substance use among individuals in recovery from Opioid Use Disorder. Collectively, these reports suggest that the intersection and cumulation of vulnerabilities to substance use and substance use disorders are directly related to substance use outcomes. Future research and reports in the substance use domain should consider these constructs, their accumulation, and their co-occurrence patterns.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Doctor of Philosophy
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Translational Biology, Medicine and Health
Department dc:contributor.department
Graduate School
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2023

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Tomlinson, Devin Christine
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Bickel, Warren K.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Trestman, Robert L.
  • LaConte, Stephen M.
  • Stein, Jeffrey S.

Subjects

dc:subject × 5

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:36884
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/115903

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Tomlinson, Devin Christine. Cumulative Vulnerabilities: Substance Use in Adolescence and in Recovery. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2023. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/115903