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The Role of Heavy Alcohol Use in the Developmental Process of Desistance in Dating Aggression during Adolescence

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Abstract

The current study examined the role of heavy alcohol use in the developmental process of desistance in physical dating aggression during adolescence. Using longitudinal data spanning grades 8 through 12 we tested the hypotheses that (a) higher levels of early heavy alcohol use would be associated with decreased deceleration from dating aggression during late adolescence and (b) higher levels of heavy alcohol use during time-points in late adolescence would be contemporaneously associated with elevated levels of dating aggression at those same time points. Contrary to expectations, findings indicate that the effects of both early and continuing heavy alcohol use on dating aggression were strong during early adolescence but tended to diminish over time. Unexpectedly, the contemporaneous effects of alcohol use on dating aggression were stronger in the spring than in the fall semesters. Implications for prevention and for understanding developmental relations between the two behaviors are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, CB#7440, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 29975-7440, USA

    Heathe Luz McNaughton Reyes, Vangie A. Foshee & Susan T. Ennett

  2. L.L. Thurstone Psychometric Laboratory, Department of Psychology, CB#3270, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 29975-3270, USA

    Daniel J. Bauer

  3. Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, CB #7440, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7440, USA

    Heathe Luz McNaughton Reyes

Authors
  1. Heathe Luz McNaughton Reyes
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  2. Vangie A. Foshee
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  3. Daniel J. Bauer
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  4. Susan T. Ennett
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Correspondence to Heathe Luz McNaughton Reyes.

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McNaughton Reyes, H.L., Foshee, V.A., Bauer, D.J. et al. The Role of Heavy Alcohol Use in the Developmental Process of Desistance in Dating Aggression during Adolescence. J Abnorm Child Psychol 39, 239–250 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-010-9456-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-010-9456-4

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