Gender Specific Study: Alcohol And Marijuana Use Impacts College Violence

Studies of intoxication have shown that people under the influence are more likely to be involved in domestic violence. As marijuana use becomes more prevalent and socially acceptable in society, more research is being conducted on the effects of inhibition reduction. In fact, new research suggests that the use of alcohol is more likely than marijuana to lead to violence in relationships between college students.

At the University of Tennessee, researchers conducted gender specific studies on male and female college students, focusing on the timing of alcohol and marijuana use and intimate partner violence. Participants completed an online diary once a day for three months.

Researchers looked at students who had been in a relationship for at least a month, involving two days a week of face-to-face contact. Data showed that when alcohol was consumed, men had a greater chance of psychological, physical and sexual violence. On the days that men drank, with each drink consumed, the chances of physical and sexual abuse was greater. When males had five or more drinks, the odds of psychological abuse increased. Women who drank were more likely to be physically and psychologically aggressive as well.

However, men’s use of marijuana showed no relation to violence between intimate partners; on the other hand, women who used marijuana were more likely to be psychologically aggressive, reports News-Medical.net.

“Our findings suggest that dating violence prevention and intervention programs should target reduction in alcohol use, but surprisingly, most of these programs largely ignore alcohol use,” lead researcher Ryan Shorey said in a news release.

The study of men appears in Addictive Behaviors. 
The women’s study appears in Psychology of Addictive Behaviors.

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