Psychosocial Influences of the Escalation of Deviance: The Case of Prescription Drug Sniffing

ABSTRACT

The escalation of deviant behavior remains a central issue for criminologists, although mechanisms of intensification remain understudied. Using a sample of prescription drug misusers recruited via time–space sampling, we test five theoretically informed hypotheses on social and psychological factors—sensation seeking; coping; stigma; peer drug associations; use for pleasant times with peers—that may impact the escalation of deviance via non-normative consumption. Social factors—peer drug associations and use for pleasant time with peers—as well as stigma were associated with escalation. Sensation seeking was mediated by social factors. Social contexts are crucial for the intensification of deviant behavior.

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the contributions of Jeffrey Parsons, Brooke Wells, and members of the project team.

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01 DA025081; BC Kelly, P.I.). The views expressed in this paper do not expressly reflect the views of the National Institute on Drug Abuse or any other governmental agency.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R01 DA025081; BC Kelly, P.I.). The views expressed in this paper do not expressly reflect the views of the National Institute on Drug Abuse or any other governmental agency.

Notes on contributors

Brian C. Kelly

BRIAN C. KELLY is Associate Professor of Sociology at Purdue University. His research has focused on the influence of social contexts on health, including the roles of subcultural participation, social networks, neighborhoods, and policy contexts. He has primarily applied this focus to the study of substance use, sexual health, and HIV/AIDS risk.

Emily Harris

EMILY HARRIS is a Demographic Analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah. Her independent research interests include medical sociology, healthcare policy, and the social organization of healthcare.

Mike Vuolo

MIKE VUOLO is Assistant Professor of Sociology at The Ohio State University. His research interests include crime, law, and deviance; sociology of work and education; health; substance use; the life course; and statistics and methodology.