Gender & Delinquency:
Aggression,
Peer Influence and
Alcohol Use in Adolescence
Melinda G. Schmidt, M.A.
Joseph P. Allen, Ph.D.
University of Virginia
Funding for this project was provided by a National Research Service Award NIDA
grant to the first author, and by grants from the William T. Grant Foundation, Spencer
Foundation, and National Institute of Mental Health to the second author. 1
Adolescent Alcohol Use
• Gender & Aggression: Links to Alcohol Use
– Overt Aggression
– Relational Aggression
• Gender & Peer Influence: Links to Alcohol Use
– Experience of Peer Pressure
– Susceptibility to Peer Influence
– Composition of the Peer Group
• Age & Gender of Key Peers
2
Hypotheses
I. Girls and boys will demonstrate different patterns
and follow unique trajectories in the development of
alcohol use during adolescence.
II. Unique forms of aggression will be associated with
girls’ and boys’ developmental trajectories of
alcohol use.
III. Alcohol use is expected to change throughout
adolescence based on associations between the
gender of the teen, the gender and age of members
of his/her peer group, and his/her experience of peer
pressure and susceptibility to peer influence. 3
Research Design & Methods
• KLIFF Study Participants (3 waves)
– 185 Target Teens (98 females, 87 males)
– Mean Age at Wave 1 = 13.36, SD = 0.66
– 107 Caucasians, 54 African-Americans, 24 Other
and/or Mixed Minority Groups
– Mean total family income: $30,000-39,999/yr
• Other Participants:
– 1 Close Peer, 2 Group Peers
• Procedure
4
Key Constructs & Measures
Source
Teen Close Peer Group Peers
Alcohol Use
Alcohol and Drug Use Questionnaire X X X
Substance Use Scale X XT
Relational Aggression
Relational Aggression Scale X XT
Indicators of Aggressive Friendships Measure XP XT
Overt Aggression
Overt Aggression Scale X XT
Peer Pressure and Influence
Susceptibility to Peer Influence XO
Peer Pressure Rating Scale X XT
Composition of the Peer Group
Peer Selection Task X
T
Denotes measure completed by peers about teen.
P
Denotes measure completed by teen about close peer. 5
O
Denotes observational measure.
Distribution of Alcohol Use
100
80
60
Boys Alcohol
40 Girls Alcohol
20
0
Age 13 Age 14 Age 15
6
Hypothesis I: Onset of
Alcohol Use for Teens by Gender
1.0
.9
.8
.7
.6
.5
.4
.3
.2
Males
.1
0.0 Females
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Age 7
G e nde r
0 .0 8 -0 .1 0
-0 .1 3
0 .3 1 * K
0 .5 6 *
0 .3 7 A lc U s e I n t e r c e p t A lc U s e S lo p e 0 .8 0
1 .0 0 0 .0 0
1 .0 0
1 .0 0 0 .4 0 * 1 .0 0
A lc U s e 1 A lc U s e 2 A lc U s e 3
e1 e2 e3
0 .2 6 0 .2 6 0 .2 6
8
Hypothesis I: Slope of Alcohol Use for
Males and Females Across Three Waves
1.0
.8
.6
.4
.2
Males
0.0 Females
1 2 3
Wave 9
Hypothesis II: Aggression & Alcohol Use
• Gender Differences in Aggression?
– Males are Higher in Overt and Relational Aggression than
Females in this sample.
• Aggression as a Predictor of Alcohol Use?
– Overt Aggression Predicts:
• Higher Frequency of Alcohol Use at Waves 1 & 2
• More Problem Drinking Behaviors at Waves 1, 2, & 3
– Relational Aggression Predicts:
• More Problem Drinking Behaviors at Waves 1, 2, & 3
• Correlated Change in Aggression & Alcohol Use?
– Changes in Overt and Relational Aggression are Significantly
Correlated with Frequency of Alcohol Use among Females,
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but not Males.
e1 e2 e3
TnR pt O vtA gg 1 TnR pt O vtA gg 2 TnR pt O vtA gg 3
1.00 1.00
1.00
0.50
1.00 0.00
O vtA gg Int O vtA gg S lope
-0.20(ns) -0.46*
0.08(ns) 0.46(ns)
A lcU se Int A lcU se S lope
1.00 0.00
1.00 1.00
0.50
1.00
G irls A lcU se 2 G irls A lcU se 3
G irls A lcU se 1
e4 e5 e6
11
e1 e2 e3
T n R p t R e lA g g 1 T n R p t R e lA g g 2 T n R p t R e lA g g 3
1 .0 0 1 .0 0 0 .5 0 1 .0 0
1 .0 0 0 .0 0
R e lA g g I n t R e lA g g S lo p e
-0 .1 5 (n s ) -0 .3 2 *
0 .0 6 (n s ) 0 .3 0 (n s )
A lc U s e I n t A lc U s e S lo p e
1 .0 0 0 .0 0
1 .0 0 1 .0 0
0 .5 0
1 .0 0
G ir ls A lc U s e 2 G ir ls A lc U s e 3
G ir ls A lc U s e 1
e4 e5 e6
12
Hypothesis III: The Mixed-Gender
Peer Group & Alcohol Use
• Effects of the Mixed-Gender Peer Group?
– Females whose peer groups contain a greater percentage
of males at Wave 1…
• Experience More Peer Pressure at Wave 1
• Report a Higher Frequency of Alcohol Use at Waves 1 & 2
• Exhibit More Problem Drinking Behaviors at Wave 3
– Males whose peer groups contain a greater percentage of
females at Wave 1…
• Report a Higher Frequency of Alcohol Use at Waves 2 & 3
• Demonstrate More Problem Drinking Behaviors at Wave 2
13
Hypothesis III: The Older
Peer Group & Alcohol Use
• Effects of the Older Peer Group?
– Males whose peer group is older at Wave 1…
• Are More Susceptible to Peer Influence in an
Observed Peer Interaction Task at W2
• Report a Higher Frequency of Alcohol Use at Wave 3
– For females, having an older peer group was not
a significant predictor of peer pressure,
susceptibility to peer influence, or alcohol use.
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Hypothesis III: Correlated Change in
Peer Pressure, the Composition of Peer
Group & Alcohol Use
• Linked Change in Experience of Peer Pressure &
Development of Alcohol Use
– Females who report experiencing a higher level of peer
pressure show faster increases in alcohol use from
Wave 1 Wave 3.
• Correlation Between Composition of Peer Group &
Alcohol Use
– Females whose peer groups contain a larger percentage of
boys across all waves show a higher frequency of alcohol
use across the three waves.
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Take Home Messages
I. Despite similarities in onset and mean level of
alcohol use, males and females may show
different developmental trajectories of alcohol
use.
II. Like overt aggression, relational aggression is an
important predictor of adolescent alcohol use.
III. Characteristics of the peer group, such as the age
and gender of key peers, differently affect the
development of alcohol use in males and females.
16