Marijuana Use Predicted Dating Aggression in Teen Girls, Alcohol in Both Sexes
Among adolescents tracked from 8th through 12th grade, marijuana use predicted dating aggression for girls, while alcohol predicted aggression timing for both boys and girls.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Using data tracking students from 8th through 12th grade, researchers found distinct patterns by substance type and sex. Marijuana use had a proximal (between-person) effect on dating aggression for girls, meaning girls who used marijuana were more likely to engage in dating aggression overall. Hard drug use showed a similar proximal effect for boys.
Alcohol showed time-varying (within-person) effects for both sexes, meaning that at specific time points when an individual's alcohol use increased, their dating aggression also increased. Hard drug use also had time-varying effects for boys.
Cigarette use was not independently associated with dating aggression after controlling for other substances and risk factors.
Key Numbers
Data spanned grades 8 through 12. Marijuana showed proximal effects on dating aggression for girls. Alcohol showed time-varying effects for both sexes. Hard drug use showed both proximal and time-varying effects for boys.
How They Did This
Researchers used hierarchical growth modeling to analyze data from adolescents across grades 8 through 12. The analysis simultaneously examined proximal effects (whether substance-using adolescents were generally more aggressive) and time-varying effects (whether increases in substance use at specific time points coincided with increases in aggression). Demographic covariates and shared risk factors were controlled.
Why This Research Matters
Understanding which substances are associated with dating violence, and how those associations differ by sex, can help prevention programs target the right behaviors. The distinction between who is more likely to be aggressive (proximal effects) and when aggression peaks (time-varying effects) has practical implications for intervention timing.
The Bigger Picture
Adolescent dating violence is a significant public health concern with lasting consequences. This research suggests that substance use prevention and dating violence prevention may benefit from integration, as the two behaviors are linked through both stable individual differences and acute situational effects.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
The study relied on self-reported measures of both substance use and dating aggression. The analysis cannot establish causation; substance use and dating aggression may share common underlying risk factors. The specific mechanisms linking substances to aggression (pharmacological effects, social contexts, or shared impulsivity) were not distinguished.
Questions This Raises
- ?Why does marijuana use specifically predict dating aggression in girls but not boys?
- ?Do the pharmacological effects of different substances directly contribute to aggression, or is the link driven by shared risk factors?
- ?Would integrated prevention programs addressing both substance use and dating violence be more effective?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Marijuana predicted dating aggression for girls; alcohol predicted timing for both sexes
- Evidence Grade:
- This is a longitudinal cohort study with multiple time points and appropriate statistical modeling, providing moderate evidence of associations.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2014. Research on the intersection of substance use and dating violence in adolescents continues.
- Original Title:
- Proximal and time-varying effects of cigarette, alcohol, marijuana and other hard drug use on adolescent dating aggression.
- Published In:
- Journal of adolescence, 37(3), 281-9 (2014)
- Database ID:
- RTHC-00831
Evidence Hierarchy
Follows a group of people over time to track how outcomes develop.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between proximal and time-varying effects?
Proximal effects describe stable differences between people: substance users were generally more likely to be aggressive. Time-varying effects capture within-person changes: at times when an individual used more of a substance, their aggression also increased.
Does this mean marijuana causes dating violence?
The study found an association, not causation. Girls who used marijuana were more likely to engage in dating aggression, but this could reflect shared underlying factors like impulsivity, peer environment, or stress rather than a direct causal effect of marijuana.
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Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-00831APA
McNaughton Reyes, H Luz; Foshee, Vangie A; Bauer, Daniel J; Ennett, Susan T. (2014). Proximal and time-varying effects of cigarette, alcohol, marijuana and other hard drug use on adolescent dating aggression.. Journal of adolescence, 37(3), 281-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2014.02.002
MLA
McNaughton Reyes, H Luz, et al. "Proximal and time-varying effects of cigarette, alcohol, marijuana and other hard drug use on adolescent dating aggression.." Journal of adolescence, 2014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adolescence.2014.02.002
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Proximal and time-varying effects of cigarette, alcohol, mar..." RTHC-00831. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/mcnaughton-2014-proximal-and-timevarying-effects
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.