Citation

Shakya HB, Fariss CJ, Ojeda C, Raj A, Reed E. Am. J. Epidemiol. 2017; 186(7): 796-804.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/aje/kwx154

PMID

28525565

Abstract

We used data on 3139 girl social network friendship dyads from 3 waves (Waves I 1994-1995, II 1996, and IV 2007-2008), of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health to assess whether friends' reports of Sexual Violence (SV) and friends' substance use risk scores predict adolescent and young adult SV. Longitudinal analyses also tested the association of Wave I/II risk factors with Wave IV reports of SV, and Wave I/II SV with network connectivity at Wave II. Adjusting for her own substance use, each one-point increase in a friend's substance use score increased a respondent's odds of SV by 1.19 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.36). Having a friend who reported SV increased a respondent's odds of reporting SV by 1.95 (95% confidence interval 1.25-3.07), though not after including school level fixed effects. Adolescent friend SV did however increase the respondent's odds of reporting SV as a young adult by 1.54 (95% confidence interval 1.00-2.37). Respondents reporting SV by Wave II had less network connectedness at Wave II. Experiences of SV and substance use within adolescent girls' friendship networks are linked to risk for SV into young adulthood, suggesting network-focused SV prevention and intervention approaches may be warranted.

© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent health; sexual violence; social networks; social norms; substance use