Jennifer A Livingston1, Weijun Wang1,2, Maria Testa2, Jaye L Derrick3, Amanda B Nickerson4, Kathleen E Miller5, Jennifer L Haas6, Dorothy L Espelage7. 1. School of Nursing, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA. 2. Department of Psychology and Clinical and Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA. 3. Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA. 4. Alberti Center for Bullying Abuse Prevention, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, USA. 5. Department of Social Sciences, D'Youville College, Buffalo, New York, USA. 6. School of Public Health and Health Professions, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, New York, USA. 7. School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Peer sexual harassment is associated with adolescent substance use at the global level; however, it is unknown whether substance use occurs proximal in time to the sexual harassment experience. This study used daily reports to examine the proximal relations between sexual harassment victimization and affect and substance use. Based on theories of self-medication, we hypothesized that negative affect and substance use (cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana) would be higher than typical on days when sexual harassment occurred relative to nonvictimization days. METHOD: A community sample of 13-16-year-old adolescents (N = 204, 55.4% female) from a metropolitan area in the northeastern United States completed 56 days of online reports assessing experiences with peer sexual harassment, substance use (cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana), and positive and negative affect. RESULTS: Multilevel modeling revealed that experiencing sexual harassment on a given day was associated with higher than typical negative affect on that day, relative to nonvictimization days. The likelihood of cigarette and alcohol use (but not electronic cigarettes, marijuana, or positive affect) was greater on days when sexual harassment occurred. CONCLUSION: Sexual harassment victimization is proximally associated with negative affect and alcohol and cigarette use, suggesting that adolescents may be using substances to cope with sexual harassment victimization. The co-occurrence of sexual harassment with negative affect and substance use points to the need for prevention efforts that conjointly address sexual harassment victimization, coping, and substance use.
INTRODUCTION: Peer sexual harassment is associated with adolescent substance use at the global level; however, it is unknown whether substance use occurs proximal in time to the sexual harassment experience. This study used daily reports to examine the proximal relations between sexual harassment victimization and affect and substance use. Based on theories of self-medication, we hypothesized that negative affect and substance use (cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana) would be higher than typical on days when sexual harassment occurred relative to nonvictimization days. METHOD: A community sample of 13-16-year-old adolescents (N = 204, 55.4% female) from a metropolitan area in the northeastern United States completed 56 days of online reports assessing experiences with peer sexual harassment, substance use (cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana), and positive and negative affect. RESULTS: Multilevel modeling revealed that experiencing sexual harassment on a given day was associated with higher than typical negative affect on that day, relative to nonvictimization days. The likelihood of cigarette and alcohol use (but not electronic cigarettes, marijuana, or positive affect) was greater on days when sexual harassment occurred. CONCLUSION: Sexual harassment victimization is proximally associated with negative affect and alcohol and cigarette use, suggesting that adolescents may be using substances to cope with sexual harassment victimization. The co-occurrence of sexual harassment with negative affect and substance use points to the need for prevention efforts that conjointly address sexual harassment victimization, coping, and substance use.
Authors: Michael Windle; Linda P Spear; Andrew J Fuligni; Adrian Angold; Jane D Brown; Daniel Pine; Greg T Smith; Jay Giedd; Ronald E Dahl Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2008-04 Impact factor: 7.124
Authors: Emily R Mischel; Ellen W Leen-Feldner; Ashley A Knapp; Sarah A Bilsky; Lindsay Ham; Sarah Lewis Journal: Addict Behav Date: 2014-08-06 Impact factor: 3.913
Authors: Jennifer A Livingston; Jaye L Derrick; Weijun Wang; Maria Testa; Amanda B Nickerson; Dorothy L Espelage; Kathleen E Miller Journal: J Child Fam Stud Date: 2018-05-17