Does Sexual Self-Concept Ambiguity Moderate Relations Among Perceived Peer Norms for Alcohol Use, Alcohol-Dependence Symptomatology, and HIV Risk-Taking Behavior?

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective: The current study examines the relation between peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement and alcoholdependence symptomatology and whether this relation differs as a function of sexual self-concept ambiguity (SSA). This study also examines the associations among peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement, alcohol-dependence symptomatology, and lifetime HIV risk-taking behavior and how these relations are infl uenced by SSA. Method: Women between ages 18 and 30 years (N = 351; M = 20.96, SD = 2.92) completed an online survey assessing sexual self-concept, peer descriptive norms, alcohol-dependence symptomatology, and HIV risk-taking behaviors. Structural equation modeling was used to test hypotheses of interest. Results: There was a signifi cant latent variable interaction between SSA and descriptive norms for peer alcohol use. There was a stronger positive relationship between peer descriptive norms for alcohol and alcohol-dependence symptomatology when SSA was higher compared with when SSA was lower. Both latent variables exhibited positive simple associations with alcohol-dependence symptoms. Peer descriptive norms for alcohol involvement directly and indirectly infl uenced HIV risk-taking behaviors, and the indirect infl uence was conditional based on SSA. Conclusions: The current fi ndings illustrate complex, nuanced associations between perceived norms, identity-related self-concepts, and risky health behaviors from various domains. Future intervention efforts may be warranted to address both problem alcohol use and HIV-risk engagement among individuals with greater sexual self-concept ambiguity. (J.

The impact of sexual self-concept ambiguity on alcohol approach bias and consumption

“…Results suggest that individuals with SSA may use alcohol as a situational means to regulate negative affect, particularly aversive selffocus, and as a result, they may suffer more negative consequences as a result of their alcohol use. Indeed, previous work (Talley, Brown, Stevens, & Littlefield, 2014) found that individuals who are higher in SSA report a greater number of potential symptoms of alcohol dependence. Taken together, the current report is one of the first studies to provide causal evidence of an identity-related contributor that may lead to increased alcohol consumption among sexual minority individuals who acknowledge SSA.…”

Sexual Orientation Self-Concept Ambiguity: Scale Adaptation and Validation

“…The development of the SSA scale utilized data from a study examining how aspects of women’s sexuality may influence their health risk behavior (e.g., Talley et al, 2014; Talley et al, 2015). Importantly, the calibration sample was recruited for the expressed purpose of adapting and validating this measure of SSA.…”

“…The proposed framework highlighted the importance of identity-related characteristics, including sexual self-concept ambiguity, in contributing to the physical and mental health outcomes of sexual minority-identified persons. Notably, recent empirical work has supported hypothesized associations between the proposed SSA scale and alcohol misuse, risky sex, and suicidal ideation (e.g., Talley, Brown, Stevens, & Littlefield, 2014; Talley et al, 2015). Given previous findings in the extant literature, as well as pertinent theoretical models (see Meyer, 2003; Talley & Littlefield, 2014), we sought to provide evidence for criterion validity by showing that higher levels of SSA will be associated with greater alcohol misuse, depression symptoms, and anxiety symptoms.…”

How social norms affect alcohol dependence: the mediating role of perceived benefits and alcohol identity

“…Specifically, because little attention has been paid to predictive relationships between social norms, the perceived benefits of drinking, alcohol identity and alcohol dependence, this study contributes to the literature by integrating findings in the social norms and alcohol dependence literatures. In particular, although a study identified a direct relationship between social norms and alcohol dependence (Talley et al , 2014), little attention has been paid to the mediating factors in the relationship between social norms and alcohol dependence. This study demonstrated that alcohol dependence is influenced by social norms through alcohol identity and the perceived benefits of drinking.…”

“…Studies on alcohol use behavior that are based on social learning theory have also demonstrated that social norms directly affect alcohol dependence (Talley et al , 2014) and the perceived benefits of drinking (Epstein et al , 2008). However, despite popular interest in the topic, the mechanism underlying (mediating factors) the relationship between social norms and alcohol dependence has been rarely studied.…”