Citation

Thompson MP, Sims L, Kingree JB, Windle M. J. Adolesc. Health 2008; 42(1): 21-27.

Affiliation

Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, USA. mpthomp@clemson.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.07.003

PMID

18155026

Abstract

PURPOSE: Research indicates that alcohol use is both a risk factor for and a consequence of violent victimization. This study investigated the longitudinal associations between problem alcohol use and victimization, and whether these associations varied by gender. METHODS: Data from the National Longitudinal Study on Adolescent Health (Add Health) were used to investigate the prospective associations between alcohol use and victimization over three time points spanning 7 years. Because adolescence is a time of rapid growth, we used latent growth modeling (LGM) in addition to traditional cross-lagged structural equation modeling (SEM). RESULTS: For boys, both SEM and LGM indicated that problem alcohol use was a risk factor for subsequent violent victimization. For girls, the SEM suggested a bi-directional association, although the LGM provided stronger support for problem alcohol use as a risk factor for, rather than a consequence of, violent victimization. CONCLUSIONS: Findings across the two statistical approaches suggest that interventions that reduce the likelihood of problem alcohol use among adolescents can minimize the short-term risk of victimization and the long-term risk of problem alcohol use in young adulthood.

Language: en