UB School of Nursing Researchers Discover Crucial Links Between Forms of Victimization and Adolescent Alcohol Use

In “Joint trajectories of bullying victimization and sexual harassment victimization as predictors of adolescent alcohol use,” the researchers surveyed 800 male and female adolescents, ages 13-15, from Western New York State. Participants answered online surveys over a 2-year period. The researchers examined the prospective effects of bullying and sexual harassment both independently and jointly on adolescent alcohol use, wherein almost 30% of respondents reported experiencing both forms of victimization.

Wang explained the study’s implications for informing future public health and community approaches to combatting teen alcohol use: “Considering the significant overlap between these forms of victimization and subsequent alcohol use, health care educators, schools, and community leaders should work collaboratively to integrate these themes into broader health education and school and community wellness initiatives.”

The study’s findings suggest that each type of victimization puts adolescents at increased risk of alcohol use. Additionally, there are significant joint and cumulative effects pertaining to alcohol use among adolescents who are victimized in both capacities.

“Kids who experience significant bullying in early adolescence are at risk for experiencing sexual harassment in mid-to-late adolescence,” Livingston noted. “Importantly, youth who experience chronic and multiple types of victimization from peers over time are at the highest risk for using alcohol.”

The study also suggests a compelling need for future research on this topic.

“Studies are needed that address the cultural and contextual factors that shape both the experience of victimization and responses to it,” Wang said. “This includes the role of social norms, peer influence, and access to support.”

The research referenced in this article was supported, in part, by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism under award number: R01 AA028810

By SHANNON O'SULLIVAN