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Sexual assault and alcohol use: exploring the self-medication hypothesis.
Robert Miranda1, Lori A Meyerson, Patricia J Long
1Oklahoma State University, USA. Robert_Mironda_Jr@Brown.edu
Violence and Victims
|May 30, 2002
Summary
Adult sexual assault is linked to increased psychological distress, which drives alcohol use through negative reinforcement. This suggests women may use alcohol to self-medicate trauma symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- A documented link exists between sexual victimization and alcohol use.
- The specific psychological mechanisms driving this relationship require further elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the indirect pathways linking adult sexual assault to alcohol use.
- To examine the roles of psychological distress and negative reinforcement in this association.
Main Methods:
- Path analysis was employed to analyze data from 318 female undergraduate students (victims and non-victims of adult sexual assault).
- Self-reported levels of psychological distress and the function of alcohol use were assessed.
Main Results:
- A history of sexual assault was significantly associated with higher levels of psychological distress.
- Psychological distress, in turn, predicted increased alcohol use, mediated by negative reinforcement.
Conclusions:
- Findings support the self-medication hypothesis, indicating that women with a history of sexual assault may use alcohol to cope with distress.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing targeted interventions for alcohol use among sexual assault survivors.