Cross-sectional and temporal associations between cyber dating abuse victimization and mental health and substance use outcomes

J Adolesc. 2018 Jun:65:1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2018.02.009. Epub 2018 Mar 2.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional and temporal associations between cyber dating abuse victimization (CDAV) and mental health (i.e., anxiety, PTSD, and depression), and substance use (i.e., alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana and hard drugs). We used data from the 5th and 6th waves of an ongoing longitudinal study of ethnically diverse adolescents from seven public high schools in Texas, U.S. Participants were 641 adolescents (63.3% female) with a mean age of 19.1 years (SD = .79) at Wave 5. Analyses suggested that while CDAV was associated with mental health and substance use cross-sectionally, when examining over time, it was only associated with past year hard drug and past month marijuana use. Although long-term mental health effects of CDAV did not emerge in the current study, we identified a temporal link to marijuana and hard drugs, highlighting the need for prevention efforts to incorporate messages about substance use.

Keywords: Adolescents; Anxiety; Cyber dating abuse; Depression; Mental health; Substance use.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Crime Victims / psychology
  • Crime Victims / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internet
  • Intimate Partner Violence*
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Marijuana Use / epidemiology*
  • Marijuana Use / psychology
  • Substance-Related Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / psychology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Texas
  • Young Adult