Publication year: 2011
Source: Addictive Behaviors, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 12 July 2011
Michele, Bedard-Gilligan , Debra, Kaysen , Sruti, Desai , Christine M., Lee
Victim alcohol consumption is common prior to sexual assault, and a burgeoning literature suggests that victims who were intoxicated during assault may differ in post-assault adjustment compared to those who were not impaired. Less is known about potential relationships between experiencing an alcohol-involved assault (AIA) and later drinking behavior. In this study, we examined the relationships between sexual assault, subsequent drinking behavior and consequences, and alcohol expectancies in a sample of 306 undergraduate women who reported current alcohol use and reported either no trauma history (n=53), non-AIA (n=69), or AIA (n=184). Differences emerged for alcohol use (F(2, 298)=12.78, p<.001), peak…
Highlights: ► Women with an AIA report more alcohol use than women with a non-AIA or no trauma ► Women with an AIA report more positive expectancies about alcohol ► Women with an assault history report more drinking consequences ► AIAs and non-AIAs differ in assault characteristics (e.g., severity, location)