University of Cincinnati, 4150G Edwards Center I, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0376, USA.
Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, 625 N Michigan Ave Suite 14-061, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2018 Oct 1;191:215-222. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2018.06.037. Epub 2018 Aug 18.
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents and young adults experience elevated rates of alcohol and drug use; it is, therefore, important to identify protective factors that decrease risk for substance use in this population. This study examined whether involvement in a romantic relationship, a well-established protective factor against heavy drinking and drug use among heterosexual adults, is also protective for SGM youth.
This study used eight waves of data provided by a community sample of 248 racially diverse SGM youth (ages 16-20 years at baseline). Multilevel structural equation models were used to assess within-person associations between relationship involvement and use of alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, and other illicit drugs. Age, gender, and sexual identity were tested as moderators.
Romantic involvement was associated with less drinking for all participants (Rate Ratio = 0.64) and decreased likelihood of illicit drug use for gay and lesbian participants (Odds Ratio = 0.56). However, participants reported smoking 26% more cigarettes when romantically involved. Further, among bisexuals, romantic involvement was associated with increased marijuana (Rate Ratio = 2.31) and other illicit drug use (Odds Ratio = 2.39).
Study findings indicate some protective effects of relationship involvement against substance use among SGM youth, particularly with respect to alcohol and illicit drugs other than marijuana. However, dating may promote smoking in all SGM youth and drug use in bisexual youth. The demographic differences observed in the effects of romantic involvement highlight the importance of attending to differences among SGM youth in research, theory, and substance use reduction efforts.
性少数群体（SGM）青少年和年轻人的酒精和药物使用率较高；因此，确定减少该人群药物使用风险的保护因素非常重要。本研究探讨了恋爱关系是否也是保护 SGM 青少年的一种保护因素，恋爱关系是异性恋成年人中预防酗酒和药物滥用的既定保护因素。
本研究使用了一个社区样本中 248 名不同种族的 SGM 青年（基线时年龄为 16-20 岁）提供的八轮数据。多层次结构方程模型用于评估恋爱关系参与度与酒精、香烟、大麻和其他非法药物使用之间的个体内关联。年龄、性别和性身份被测试为调节因素。
对于所有参与者，恋爱关系的参与与饮酒量减少有关（比率比=0.64），与男同性恋和女同性恋参与者非法药物使用的可能性降低有关（比值比=0.56）。然而，参与者报告说在恋爱关系中吸烟量增加了 26%。此外，在双性恋者中，恋爱关系的参与与大麻（比率比=2.31）和其他非法药物使用（比值比=2.39）的增加有关。
研究结果表明，恋爱关系的参与对 SGM 青年的物质使用有一定的保护作用，特别是在酒精和大麻以外的非法药物方面。然而，约会可能会促进所有 SGM 青年吸烟和双性恋青年的药物使用。在恋爱关系参与的影响方面观察到的人口统计学差异突出了在研究、理论和减少物质使用方面关注 SGM 青年之间差异的重要性。
