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Howard D, Jarman HK, Clancy EM, Renner HM, Smith R, Rowland B, Toumbourou JW, Fuller-Tyszkiewicz M, Klettke B. Sexting Among Australian Adolescents: Risk and Protective Factors. J Youth Adolesc 2023:10.1007/s10964-023-01827-1. [PMID: 37481506 PMCID: PMC10372109 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-023-01827-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Although consensual sending of sexts between adolescents is considered developmentally appropriate, it may also entail a range of negative consequences. Current sexting research lacks a comprehensive theoretical framework identifying a range of risk and protective factors underpinning adolescent consensual sending of sexts across individual, interpersonal, and distal levels. Further, there is a lack of systematic evaluation of how the importance of these factors may vary across adolescent age. This study investigated the utility of the Social Development Model to predict a range of risk and protective factors across individual, family, peer, school, and community-level factors. The sample included 1302 teenagers from Victoria, Australia (Mage = 14.54, SD = 1.14, 50.8% girls). Results indicated that 146 (11.7%) participants sent a sext (76 boys and 70 girls). Logistic regression analyses revealed that the Social Development Model accounted for 45.8% of variance in sexting, with greater likelihood of sending sexts being associated with older age, prior sexual activity, school sector, physical activity, lifetime substance use, greater depressive symptoms, sensation seeking, and perceived substance availability in the community. Multigroup analyses revealed that lifetime substance use was associated with a greater likelihood of sending sexts among younger teens. Among older adolescents, adaptive coping was associated with reduced engagement in sexting, while higher parental overcontrol and family conflict increased the odds of sending sexts. Overall, sexting is associated with a range of modifiable factors potentially amenable to intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Howard
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia.
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
| | - Hannah K Jarman
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Elizabeth M Clancy
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Heidi M Renner
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Rachel Smith
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Bosco Rowland
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
- Monash University, Eastern Health Clinical School & Monash Addiction Research Centre, Richmond, VIC, Australia
| | - John W Toumbourou
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
| | - Bianca Klettke
- Faculty of Health, School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, 3220, Australia
- Center for Social and Early Emotional Development, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia
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Evaluation of Communities That Care-Effects on Municipal Youth Crime Rates in Victoria, Australia: 2010-2019. PREVENTION SCIENCE : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR PREVENTION RESEARCH 2021; 23:24-35. [PMID: 34626325 DOI: 10.1007/s11121-021-01297-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Internationally, youth crime is a significant social problem. Violent youth crime has been rising over the past decade in the state of Victoria, Australia. Communities That Care (CTC) is a coalition training process designed to prevent youth crime. There has been limited evaluation outside the USA. Using a non-experimental design, this study employed official state crime statistics to evaluate the impact on crime as the five-phase CTC process was implemented between 2010 and 2019 across communities in Victoria. The standard five-phase CTC implementation cycle was supplemented with universal programs to reduce sales and supply of alcohol to underage youth (under 18 years). Growth models evaluated community trends in youth crime (all, person, property and deception and other), comparing communities that implemented CTC at phase 4 or greater with communities that had not implemented CTC. In accord with the hypotheses, the study found significant reductions in crimes associated with CTC over the period between 2010 and 2019. A 2% annual reduction in risk was observed for crimes against persons for all age groups (IRR = 0.98, 95% CI [0.96, 0.998]). A 5% annual reduction was observed for crimes of property and deception for adolescents aged between 10 and 17 years (IRR = 0.95, 95% CI [0.90, 0.99]). These findings support CTC as an intervention for preventing youth crime at a population level. Future studies should evaluate intervention mechanisms and economic benefits.
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Bailey JA, Epstein M, Catalano RF, McMorris BJ, Heerde JA, Clancy E, Rowland B, Toumbourou JW. Longitudinal Consequences of Adolescent Alcohol Use Under Different Policy Contexts in Australia and the United States. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 2021; 82:377-386. [PMID: 34100706 PMCID: PMC8328237 DOI: 10.15288/jsad.2021.82.377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 09/19/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To test the premise that youth alcohol harm minimization policies (compared with abstinence policies) reduce later drinking and harmful consequences of alcohol use in young adulthood, we compared associations among adolescent alcohol use, young adult alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related harms in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States. METHOD Data came from the International Youth Development Study, a longitudinal, cross-national study of the development of substance use. State-representative samples of seventh-grade (age 13) students in Victoria (n = 984, 53% female, 90% White) and Washington (n = 961, 54% female, 73% White) were surveyed in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2014 (age 25). Participants self-reported alcohol initiation by age 15 and age 25 alcohol consumption (per the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test). Path modeling tested associations among age 15 alcohol use, age 25 consumption, and alcohol-related harms at age 25; multiple group modeling tested the equivalence of parameter estimates across states. RESULTS Age 25 alcohol consumption was lower in Washington versus Victoria and was associated with poor physical and mental health, partner conflict, substance use, criminal behavior, and violence exposure in both states equally. Living in Washington predicted lower levels of multiple alcohol-related harms at age 25 indirectly via lower age 25 alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS Young adults growing up in Victoria reported greater alcohol consumption in young adulthood, which was associated to the same degree with the harms measured regardless of alcohol policy context. Findings support state-level policies that promote alcohol abstinence in adolescence and reduced consumption in young adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer A. Bailey
- Social Development Research Group, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Marina Epstein
- Social Development Research Group, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | - Richard F. Catalano
- Social Development Research Group, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
| | | | - Jessica A. Heerde
- Department of Paediatrics, Royal Children's Hospital, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Elizabeth Clancy
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bosco Rowland
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Melbourne Burwood Campus, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - John W. Toumbourou
- School of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong Waterfront Campus, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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Intention to drink and alcohol use before 18 years among Australian adolescents: An extended Theory of Planned Behavior. Addict Behav 2020; 111:106545. [PMID: 32771796 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2020.106545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Preventing adolescent alcohol use is an international public health priority. To further understand adolescent alcohol use, this study tested a model of adolescent intention to consume alcohol that incorporated multiple social systems influences. METHODS Participants included 2529 Australian secondary school students (Mage = 14.20; 53.7% female). Participants completed a survey about risk and protective factors for alcohol use at individual, family, school and community levels. Structural Equation Modeling (path analysis) was used to evaluate an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) that incorporated social system determinants of intention to consume alcohol. RESULTS The final model explained 60% of the variance in adolescent alcohol use intention. All TPB constructs correlated with intention and experience of lifetime alcohol use. More exposure to information about alcohol use had a weak but significant influence on adolescents' stronger perceived behavioral control. Having less friends who use alcohol, stricter parental rules for adolescent alcohol use, and unfavorable parent attitudes towards alcohol use, were associated with stronger adolescent anti-alcohol attitudes and subjective norms. Community level pro-abstinence attitudes predicted unfavorable adolescent attitudes to alcohol and intention to consume alcohol. Parental rules showed significantly stronger influences on alcohol use intention amongst younger adolescents. CONCLUSIONS Key social systems around adolescents significantly predicted intention to consume alcohol, and the extended TPB model explained the major variance in adolescent alcohol use. The findings emphasize the importance of multi-level approaches to the prevention of alcohol use. Situation-based factors that could trigger impulsive emotional response may be a future intervention focus.
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Leung J, Chiu V, Connor JP, Peacock A, Kelly AB, Hall W, Chan GCK. Alcohol consumption and consequences in adolescents in 68 low and middle-income countries - a multi-country comparison of risks by sex. Drug Alcohol Depend 2019; 205:107520. [PMID: 31707267 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for disease burden among youth. This study estimated sex differences in the prevalence of alcohol use and consequences among adolescents living in low and middle-income countries (LMIC). DESIGN Multi-staged cross-sectional international standardized self-report questionnaires administered in the classroom. SETTING The Global school-based student health survey (GSHS) comprised adolescents from 68 LMIC between 2003-2014. PARTICIPANTS 271,156 students aged 13-17 years old. MEASUREMENTS Alcohol measures included: past month alcohol consumption, history of intoxication and alcohol-related problems. Regions were based on the World Health Organization definitions: Africa, America, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South-east Asia, and Western Pacific. FINDINGS Overall, males had higher odds of alcohol use (OR = 2.38 [1.91-2.96]), a history of intoxication (OR = 2.64 [2.11-3.31]), and alcohol-related problems (OR = 1.72 [1.41-2.10]) than females. All regions recorded overall greater odds of alcohol use by males versus females; five regions (excluding Europe) recorded greater odds of intoxication in males; and three regions (America, South-east Asia, and Western Pacific) recorded greater odds of alcohol-related problems amongst males. However, there were country-level differences - in some countries, adolescent drinking rates and consequences were comparable by sex. Countries with the highest odds of alcohol use among males compared to females were Indonesia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Tuvalu, Morocco, Senegal, Kiribati, and Thailand. CONCLUSIONS Among adolescents living in LMIC, males had on average two-fold higher odds of drinking alcohol and experiencing adverse consequences. Growing affluence and improvements in sex equality in societies may increase the future prevalence of hazardous drinking in females in LMICs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janni Leung
- School of Psychology, Brisbane, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067, Australia; National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, University of New South Wales, NSW 2031, Australia; Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Brisbane, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067, Australia; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, WA 98121, United States.
| | - Vivian Chiu
- School of Psychology, Brisbane, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067, Australia; National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, University of New South Wales, NSW 2031, Australia; Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Brisbane, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067, Australia.
| | - Jason P Connor
- Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Brisbane, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067, Australia.
| | - Amy Peacock
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, Sydney, University of New South Wales, NSW 2031, Australia.
| | - Adrian B Kelly
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, QLD 4059, Australia.
| | - Wayne Hall
- Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Brisbane, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067, Australia; King's College London, London, WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom.
| | - Gary C K Chan
- Centre for Youth Substance Abuse Research, Brisbane, The University of Queensland, QLD 4067, Australia.
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Berecki-Gisolf J, Rowland B, Reavley N, Minuzzo B, Toumbourou J. Evaluation of community coalition training effects on youth hospital-admitted injury incidence in Victoria, Australia: 2001-2017. Inj Prev 2019; 26:463-470. [PMID: 31753904 PMCID: PMC7513265 DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Revised: 09/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Injuries are one of the three leading causes of morbidity and mortality for young people internationally. Although community risk factors are modifiable causes of youth injury, there has been limited evaluation of community interventions. Communities That Care (CTC) offers a coalition training process to increase evidence-based practices that reduce youth injury risk factors. METHOD Using a non-experimental design, this study made use of population-based hospital admissions data to evaluate the impact on injuries for 15 communities that implemented CTC between 2001 and 2017 in Victoria, Australia. Negative binomial regression models evaluated trends in injury admissions (all, unintentional and transport), comparing CTC and non-CTC communities across different age groups. RESULTS Statistically significant relative reductions in all hospital injury admissions in 0-4 year olds were associated with communities completing the CTC process and in 0-19 year olds when communities began their second cycle of CTC. When analysed by subgroup, a similar pattern was observed with unintentional injuries but not with transport injuries. CONCLUSION The findings support CTC coalition training as an intervention strategy for preventing youth hospital injury admissions. However, future studies should consider stronger research designs, confirm findings in different community contexts, use other data sources and evaluate intervention mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janneke Berecki-Gisolf
- Monash University Accident Research Centre, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bosco Rowland
- Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nicola Reavley
- Centre for Mental Health, The University of Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - John Toumbourou
- Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.,Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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