Gender Differences in Body Consciousness and Substance Use Among High-Risk Adolescents

Abstract

This study explores the association between private and public body consciousness and past 30-day cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and hard drug use among adolescents. Self-reported data from alterative high school students in California were analyzed (N = 976) using multilevel regression models to account for student clustering within schools. Separate regression analyses were conducted for males and females. Both cross-sectional baseline data and one-year longitudinal prediction models indicated that body consciousness is associated with specific drug use categories differentially by gender. Findings suggest that body consciousness accounts for additional variance in substance use etiology not explained by previously recognized dispositional variables.

RESUMEN

Diferencias de género en la conciencia del cuerpo y el uso de sustancias entre adolescentes de alto riesgo

Este estudio explora la asociación entre la conciencia pública y privada del cuerpo y el uso de cigarillo, alcohol, marijuana, y droga dura entre adolescentes en los pasados 30 dias. Datos obtenidos en referencias propias por estudiantes de escuelas alternatives de secundaria en California se analizaron (N = 976) utilizando modelos de regresión multinivel para dar cuenta de la agrupación de estudiantes dentro de las escuelas. El análisis de regresión se realizaron separados para varones y hembras. Tanto los datos de referencia cruzada de sección y de un año de los modelos de predicción longitudinal indica que la conciencia del cuerpo es asociada con las categorías de uso específicas de drogas de manera diferenciada por sexo. Los resultados sugieren que la conciencia del cuerpo toma en cuenta la varianza adicional en la etiología del consumo de sustancias no explicadas por las variables de predisposición previamente reconocidos.

RÉSUMÉ

Différences de genre dans la conscience de corps et l’utilisation de substance parmi les adolescents à haut risqué.

Cette étude explore l’association conscience et dernier entre organisme privé et public cigarette de 30 jours, alcool, marijuana, et utilisation de drogue dure parmi des adolescents. Des données Individu-rapportées des étudiants lycée altérnatif en Californie ont été analysées (N = 976) utilisant les modèles de régression à multiniveaux pour expliquer l’étudiant groupant dans des écoles. Des analyses de régression séparées ont été conduites pour des mâles et des femelles. Les données en coupe de ligne de base et les modèles longitudinaux d’une année de prévision ont indiqué que la conscience de corps est associée aux catégories spécifiques d’utilisation de drogue différentiel par genre. Les résultats suggèrent que la conscience de corps explique le désaccord additionnel emploient en substance l’étiologie non expliquée par des variables précédemment identifiées de dispositional.

Keywords :

• private body consciousness
• public body consciousness
• adolescence
• substance use
• high-risk
• alternative high school

THE AUTHORS

David Black, M.P.H., is a fourth-year doctoral student at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. He has previously worked in the area of adolescent substance use and violence etiology. His most recent research interest is the study of mindfulness in the context of adolescent and young adult risk behavior. He is interested in the neurocognitive and emotional processes that are influenced by both the disposition of mindfulness and the practice of mindfulness over time. He is currently conducting a pilot study that examines the association between mindfulness, working memory, and health behavior among medical students. Outside of research, David has a deep affinity for nature and enjoys camping, hiking, and also writing about nature.

Steve Sussman, Ph.D., FAAHB, FAPA, received his doctorate in social-clinical psychology from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1984. He is a professor of preventive medicine and psychology at the University of Southern California. He studies etiology, prevention, and cessation within the addictions arena, broadly defined. He has over 345 publications. His projects include Towards No Tobacco Use, Towards No Drug Abuse, and Project EX, which are considered model programs at numerous agencies (i.e., CDC, NIDA, NCI, OJJDP, SAMSHA, CSAP, Colorado and Maryland Blueprints, Health Canada, U.S. Department of Education and various State Departments of Education). He received the honor of Research Laureate for the American Academy of Health Behavior in 2005, and he was President there (2007–2008). Also, as of 2007, he received the honor of Fellow of the American Psychological Association (Division 50, Addictions). As of 2010, he will be the Editor of Evaluation & the Health Professions.

Jennifer Unger, Ph.D., is a professor at the Claremont Graduate University School of Community and Global Health. Her research focuses on psychosocial and cultural predictors of substance use and other health-related behaviors among adolescents, including acculturation, cultural values, peer influences, family influences, and stressful life events. Dr. Unger is conducting several large-scale studies of adolescents’ health behaviors across cultural contexts.

Pallav Pokhrel, Ph.D., is a researcher with the Cancer Research Center of Hawaii Prevention and Control Program, University of Hawaii. His primary area of research interest includes self-regulation in the context of adolescent substance use behavior.

Ping Sun, Ph.D., graduated in 1999 from the Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, USC. He has been working on studying the etiology of substance use and intervention among youth. His most recent research interest is exploring the genetic and environmental risk factors of the general propensity of addiction, which may be reflected as substance use or process addiction.