Joint trajectories of bullying victimization and sexual harassment victimization as predictors of adolescent alcohol use.

Abstract

Objective: The present study examined the independent and joint effects of bullying victimization and sexual harassment victimization on adolescent alcohol use over time within a community sample of adolescents. Method: Adolescents aged 13-15 years old at baseline (N = 800, M age = 14.42, SD = 0.83; 57.5% female) recruited from Western New York State made five online survey reports of peer victimization and alcohol use over a 2-year period. Latent class growth analysis was used to identify trajectory classes of victimization from bullying and sexual harassment over time, and regression modeling was used to examine the associations with later alcohol use. Results: Three developmental courses were identified for bullying victimization (moderate/decreasing, high/decreasing, never or low) and for sexual harassment victimization (moderate/decreasing, moderate/increasing, never or low). Adolescents in the moderate/decreasing group of bullying victimization subsequently consumed more alcoholic drinks when they drank. Belonging to the moderate/increasing group of sexual harassment was associated with increased later alcohol intoxication and number of drinks. Bullying victimization and sexual harassment victimization were concurrently correlated over time. Adolescents who followed the joint trajectory group of moderately decreasing bullying and increasing sexual harassment were more likely to report increased later alcohol intoxication and number of drinks. Conclusions: Moderate levels of bullying victimization along with increasing sexual harassment victimization are associated prospectively with greater alcohol use in adolescence. Findings highlight the importance of considering the cumulative, joint effects of multiple types of peer victimization on adolescent health outcomes. Public Health Significance StatementWithin the community sample of adolescents, almost 30% experienced both bullying victimization and sexual harassment victimization over a 12-month period. The high prevalence of both bullying and sexual harassment and their association with later alcohol use point to the need for more targeted interventions to provide support to polyvictims. The results also highlight the importance of recognizing the detrimental effects of peer sexual harassment on adolescent health and the need for prevention efforts.