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Published on: August 6, 2013
Romantic attraction and adolescent smoking trajectories
Michael S Pollard1, Joan S Tucker, Harold D Green
1RAND Corporation, 1776 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138, USA. mpollard@rand.org
Addictive Behaviors
|August 25, 2011
Summary
Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) women who changed from heterosexual to same-sex attraction showed higher smoking trajectories than consistently LGB women. These findings highlight the dynamic nature of attraction and its link to substance use patterns.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Research indicates lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals exhibit higher smoking prevalence than heterosexuals.
- Understanding the nuances of sexual orientation and substance use is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Developmental trajectories of smoking behavior require further investigation across diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how same- and opposite-sex romantic attraction, and changes in attraction, are associated with distinct six-year smoking trajectories.
- To investigate these associations separately for men and women.
- To identify specific patterns of smoking behavior linked to evolving sexual attraction.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health.
- Employed multinomial logistic regressions to predict smoking trajectory membership.
- Analyzed romantic attraction (same- and opposite-sex, and changes) as a predictor, stratified by gender.
Main Results:
- Romantic attraction effects on smoking trajectories were significant only for women.
- A shift from heterosexual to lesbian or bisexual attraction predicted higher smoking trajectories more strongly than consistent same-sex attraction.
- Potential differences in smoking patterns were observed between women who transitioned to lesbian versus bisexual attraction.
Conclusions:
- Sexual orientation and its changes are linked to distinct developmental smoking trajectories, particularly in women.
- The transition in romantic attraction may be a critical period for understanding smoking behaviors in LGB women.
- Findings underscore the importance of considering the dynamic nature of sexual attraction in substance use research and prevention efforts.
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