Correlates of Sexual Victimization Among Community College Women.

The current study documents the correlates associated with the severity of sexual victimization among women enrolled in a 2-year community college. Comparisons between women with a history of severe sexual victimization (i.e., rape and attempted rape), moderate sexual victimization (i.e., unwanted contact and sexual coercion), and no history of sexual victimization revealed that women with a history of severe sexual victimization endorsed more drinks per week, increased problem drinking behavior, and more use of drug before sex and higher levels of self-protective dating behaviors compared with women with no history of sexual victimization. These findings suggest that programs should target the intersection of alcohol and drug use as correlates of sexual victimization among community college women.

Opening of hotels and ski facilities: Impact on mobility, spending, and Covid-19 outcomes.

This paper investigates how reopening hotels and ski facilities in Poland impacted tourism spending, mobility, and COVID-19 outcomes. We used administrative data from a government program that subsidizes travel to show that the policy increased the consumption of tourism services in ski resorts. By leveraging geolocation data from Facebook, we showed that ski resorts experienced a significant influx of tourists, increasing the number of local users by up to 50%. Furthermore, we confirmed an increase in the probability of meetings between pairs of users from distanced locations and users from tourist and non-tourist areas. As the policy impacted travel and gatherings, we then analyzed its effect on the diffusion of COVID-19. We found that counties with ski facilities experienced more infections after the reopening. Moreover, counties strongly connected to the ski resorts during the reopening had more subsequent cases than weakly connected counties.

Validity and reliability of the Persian version of the machiavellian personality scale and its association with social adjustment and risky behaviors in Iranian college students.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to develop and assess the psychometric properties of the Persian version of the Machiavellian Personality Scale (P-MPS), and evaluate its relationship with social adjustment and risky behaviors in Iranian college students. METHODS: Participants were 500 healthy college students (270 females and 230 males) from medical and non-medical universities in Sanandaj, Iran. They completed the P-MPS, the social adjustment subscale of the Bell Adjustment Inventory, and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) questionnaire. The factor structure of the P-MPS was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to examine the internal consistency of the P-MPS and Pearson correlation test was used to investigate the relationship of the P-MPS score with the scores of social adjustment subscale and YRBSS. RESULTS: The P-MPS showed good content validity (Content validity ratio = 0.73, content validity index = 0.90), construct validity, and internal consistency (α = 0.802). The CFA results supported the four-factor solution of the questionnaire. The total score of P-MPS and its dimensions showed a significant negative relationship with social adjustment (p < 0.05). Moreover, its score was significantly correlated with risky behaviors (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The Persian version of MPS can be used for assessing Machiavellianism in the Iranian population.

Extracurricular activities and adjustment among students at disadvantaged high schools: The mediating role of peer relatedness and school belonging.

INTRODUCTION: Participation in extracurricular activities (ECAs) during high school is likely to be associated with higher intrinsic motivation, as well as lower externalizing problems and depressive symptoms, particularly for students in schools located in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods. However, few studies have explored the processes underlying these positive associations. In this study, we examined whether peer relatedness and school belonging mediated the links between participation in these activities and adolescent academic and psychosocial adjustment and whether another indicator of poverty, namely material deprivation, moderated these links. METHODS: Canadian students (n = 638; 59% girls) at disadvantaged high schools were surveyed at two-time points. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Results show that peer relatedness can explain the associations between extracurricular activity participation and (a) school intrinsic motivation and (b) depressive symptoms. Results also revealed that the indirect effect involving the number of activities, peer relatedness, and depressive symptoms was only significant among students living in highly deprived areas. These results highlight the contribution of peer relatedness as a potential mediator of the positive association connecting extracurricular activity participation to adjustment among disadvantaged students.

Separation-individuation from the community among religious Jewish teens in Israel.

We wished to understand the contribution of personal, family, and community factors to the risky behaviors (RBs) of religious Jewish teens in Israel, and whether sense of community belonging mediated the religious estrangement/RB association. A convenience sample comprised 645 adolescents aged 14-19 (420 female/225 male) from Israel's national-religious sector was used in this study. Sociodemographic characteristics, self-esteem, future orientation, degree of religious estrangement, perceived parental acceptance, and sense of community belonging were reported. Being a male, older, and living in a rural community were associated with more RBs, as were higher religious estrangement and less acceptance from the mother. Sense of community was found to partially mediate the religious estrangement/RB association. We extended Blos's conceptualization of adolescence as a second separation-individuation from the parents to include a parallel process of separation-individuation from the community. The results may help in designing interventions for adolescents in religious communities.

Psychosocial characteristics pattern correlated with HIV-related risky sexual behavior among HIV-negative men who have sex with men: a latent profile analysis.

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) have become a high risk population of HIV infection due to their risky sexual behaviors. The latent pattern of psychosocial characteristics plays an important effect in HIV-related risky behaviors among HIV-negative MSM. METHOD: Participants were recruited from Wuhan, Nanchang, and Changsha city from September 2017 to January 2018. Social support was assessed by the multidimensional scale of social support, Connor-Davidson Resilience scale-10 items for reliance, the assessment of Stigma towards Homosexuality for sexual minority stigma, the Likert subscale of nondisclosure for identity concealment, the ACE questionnaire-Kaiser-CDC for adverse childhood experience, the Centers for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for depression. Latent profile analysis (LPA) and multivariate regression were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Three psychosocial characteristic patterns were revealed by the LPA. "Social support and resilience group" (SR group), "Identity concealment group" (IC group) and "Adverse childhood experience" (ACE group) were identified, respectively. In comparison with "SR group", "IC group" have a higher likelihood of one-night male partners (AOR = 2.74, 95%CI = [1.54, 4.90]), both fixed and one-night male partners (AOR = 2.01, 95%CI = [1.34, 3.01]) and HIV-unsure male partner (AOR = 2.12, 95%CI = [1.44, 3.13]). Similarly, "ACE group" were more likely having inconsistent condom use (AOR = 2.58, 95%CI = [1.41, 4.73]), and having sex with HIV-positive male partner (AOR = 4.90, 95%CI = [1.95, 12.30]) with comparison of "SR group". In addition, we further revealed that "ACE group" had a higher ratio (90.0%) of inconsistent condom use among MSM whose male partners were HIV-positive. CONCLUSIONS: Six important psychosocial factors were divided into three latent pattern classes. Compared with "SR group", "IC group" and "ACE group" were more likely to engage in HIV-related risky sexual behaviors. Further research may pay more attention to "IC group" and "ACE group" for targeted intervention.

How Do Risky Behaviors and Mental Health Differ Among Students Based on Undergraduate Class Status?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among undergraduate class status, risky behaviors (i.e., alcohol and marijuana use, sexual activity), life satisfaction, and ability to cope. METHODS: Undergraduate students (N = 2,961) completed an electronic survey to assess for mental health status and risky behaviors. RESULTS: Compared with others, first-year students reported fewer days of having at least one alcoholic drink, fewer days of having five or more alcoholic drinks in a row, and less frequency of marijuana use. First-year students reported fewer sexual partners and less frequency of sexual activity compared with others. First-year students were more likely to report greater life satisfaction, being able to cope with difficult situations, and greater self-worth, compared with others. CONCLUSIONS: As undergraduate students progress through their academic career, they are more likely to engage in risky behaviors and experience life dissatisfaction.

The Associations of Polygenic Scores for Risky Behaviors and Parenting Behaviors with Adolescent Externalizing Problems.

The current study focused on longitudinal effects of genetics and parental behaviors and their interplay on externalizing behaviors in a panel study following individuals from adolescence to young adulthood. The nationally representative sample of Add Health participants of European ancestry included N = 4142 individuals, measured on three occasions. Parenting was operationalized as experiences with child maltreatment and maternal closeness. Externalizing problems were operationalized as alcohol use, cannabis use, and antisocial behaviors. Genetic effects were operationalized as a polygenic score (PGS) of risky behaviors. The results showed significant effects for child maltreatment, maternal closeness, and PGS, above and beyond other factors and previous levels of externalizing behaviors. Furthermore, maternal closeness was found to negatively correlate with PGS. No significant interaction effects of parenting and PGS were found. The results underscore the joint independent effects of parenting and genetics on the change in externalizing behaviors from adolescence to young adulthood.

Risky behaviors, substance use, and other lifestyle correlates of energy drink consumption in children and adolescents: a systematic review.

Increasing concerns have been raised on the health-related risks connected with energy drink (ED) consumption in children and adolescents, with high acute or chronic consumers exceeding 10% in either age group in Europe in 2011. Preliminary evidence has suggested a common pattern of ED and substance use, especially alcohol. Additional evidence has been accumulating very fast; in addition, other lifestyle and risky behaviors may contribute to shed light on the complex interplay of factors involved in ED consumption. We have undertaken a comprehensive systematic review of the evidence on psychosocial correlates of ED consumption in 0-18 years subjects, as published up to April 1, 2021, in MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Reviews and Central Register of Controlled Trials, which allowed to select 104 original articles. Only ~ 10% of the papers provided results based on longitudinal analyses. A common pattern of ED consumption and polysubstance use, including alcohol, tobacco, and soft and hard drugs, was still confirmed in adolescents; violent and risky behaviors were also related to a higher ED consumption. In addition, frequent ED consumers are more likely to have bad dietary habits, including consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and junk foods. A generally inconclusive evidence was found for sport/physical activities, although sedentary behaviors were generally related to ED consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent ED consumption might be a screening indicator to identify students at risk of substance use or other risky/problem behaviors; enquiring about an adolescent's recent ED consumption could create opportunities for early intervention/prevention by informed pediatricians. WHAT IS KNOWN: • Substances, especially alcohol, are associated with energy drinks in most cross-sectional studies. WHAT IS NEW: • Violent behaviors are associated with energy drink consumption, in the absence of longitudinal studies; problematic use of internet/videogames deserves further investigation; unhealthy dietary patterns are related to energy drinks; evidence on physical activity is inconclusive, but sedentary behaviors are related to energy drinks.

Elucidating the Association Between Military Sexual Trauma Types and Different Types of Risky Behaviors.

Military sexual harassment (MSH) and assault (MSA) are associated with serious mental and physical health outcomes among military personnel and veterans. However, less is known about how these experiences relate to risky, impulsive, and health-compromising behaviors. The goal of the current study was to assess MSH and MSA in relation to a wide range of risky behaviors. Participants were 512 veterans in the community (M age = 41.36, 71.3% male, 71.3% white) who completed an online survey via Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Compared to veterans who reported MSH only or no history of MST, veterans with a MSA history reported greater past-month risky behavior engagement, both overall and for specific behaviors, including problematic use of alcohol, drugs, gambling, technology, risky sexual behaviors, eating behaviors, illegal behaviors, reckless spending, physically aggressive behaviors, verbally aggressive behaviors, property destruction, reckless driving, non-suicidal self-injury, and suicidal behavior. Our findings emphasize the importance of differentiating between MSH and MSA when detecting and intervening with veterans at risk for engaging in risky behaviors.

Association between Sensation-Seeking Behaviors and Concussion-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, Perceived Norms, and Care-Seeking Behaviors among Collegiate Student-Athletes.

There are limited data connecting personality and behavioral tendencies and traits related to concussion care-seeking/disclosure behaviors and minimal research exists surrounding the relationship between risky behaviors, sensation-seeking, and concussion-related outcomes. This study examined the association between sensation-seeking and a student-athlete's concussion-related knowledge, attitudes, perceived social norms, and concussion care-seeking/disclosure behaviors (intention to disclose concussion symptoms, perceived control over symptom disclosure, self-removal from play due to concussion symptoms, continued play with concussion symptoms, and disclosure of all concussions at the time of injury). The current study utilized a retrospective cohort of collegiate student-athletes at a single National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I institution. Separate multivariable linear regression models estimating mean differences (MD) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI) estimated the association between sensation-seeking and concussion knowledge, concussion attitudes, and perceived social norms. Separate multivariable binomial regression models estimating adjusted prevalence ratios (PR) and 95%CI estimated the association between sensation-seeking and intention to disclose concussion symptoms, perceived control over symptom disclosure, self-removal from play due to concussion symptoms, continued play with concussion symptoms, and disclosure of all concussions at the time of injury. All models were adjusted for sex, sport participation, and concussion history. Higher sensation-seeking was significantly associated with less favorable concussion attitudes (adjusted MD = -1.93; 95%CI = -3.04,-0.83), less favorable perceived social norms surrounding concussion (adjusted MD = -1.39; 95%CI = -2.06,-0.72), and continuing to play while experiencing concussion symptoms (adjusted PR = 1.50; 95%CI = 1.10, 2.06). Student-athletes with increased sensation-seeking could be at risk for failing to disclose a concussion, decreasing athlete safety and resulting in less optimal care post-injury. Results will inform future theory-based concussion education programs which consider behavioral tendencies and traits as well as sport culture to promote concussion care-seeking/disclosure and individualized interventions based on risky behavior engagement.

Deficits in executive functions but not in decision making under risk in individuals with problematic social-network use.

BACKGROUND: The tendency to strive for immediate gratification by neglecting potential negative long-term outcomes characterizes addictive behaviors, such as substance use or gaming disorder. Problematic social-network use is currently discussed as another potential addictive behavior, which is considered to result from an imbalance between affective and cognitive processes, indicated by traits such as increased impulsivity and/or decreased executive functions and decision-making abilities. METHODS: This study investigates the respective functions in social-network users by use of the Cards and Lottery Task (CLT) - a decision-making task under risk conditions in which options contain conflicting immediate and long-term outcomes at the same time. A sample of German and Spanish participants (N = 290) performed the CLT as well as the Modified Card Sorting Test (MCST), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS), the short Internet Addiction Test specified for social-networking (sIAT-SNS), and screeners on other potentially problematic behaviors. RESULTS: Comparing extreme groups based on sIAT-SNS scores (1SD above/below mean), individuals with problematic social-network use (n = 56), as compared to those with non-problematic social-network use (n = 50), showed increased attentional impulsivity and reduced executive functions. No differences were observed in decision-making performance. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that problematic social-network use is related to attentional rather than general decision-making deficits. Furthermore, problematic social-network use is likely to co-occur with other problematic Internet-use behaviors, particularly gaming or shopping.

Prevalence of Gonorrhea and Associated Knowledge, Attitude and Risky Behaviors and Preventive Practices Among High School Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Gonorrhea is a curable sexually transmitted infection that affects the health of people globally. Millions of new gonorrhea cases are reported every year in people aged 15 to 49 years. Particularly adolescents are vulnerable due to high sexual desire and unsafe sexual practices. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of gonorrhea and the associated knowledge, attitude and risky behaviors and preventive practice of high school students in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 410 students from grade 11 and 12 of Medhane-alem preparatory school using self-administered questionnaires. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 22.0 software. Chi-square test and odds ratio were done at 95% CI using significance level of p < 0.05. The prevalence of gonorrhea among the students was 5.4%. Only 40% of participants were knowledgeable on gonorrhea transmission and less than 50% of them had positive perception towards gonorrhea infected people. Over 55% of the students had no sexual history but the rest had previous sexual experience and were exposed, at least, to one risky behavior. Logistic regression analysis revealed that higher acceptable sexual practice was observed among students with good knowledge than students with poor knowledge (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI 1.42-3.18, p < 0.001). Overall, higher prevalence rate and low knowledge level was observed among the study group. Negative attitudes and unsafe sexual practices were reported by the students. Sexual health education and prevention are necessary among the high school students.

Decision-making and cognitive control in adolescent suicidal behaviors: a qualitative systematic review of the literature.

Suicide and suicidal behaviors represent a leading cause of morbidity and mortality during adolescence. While several lines of evidence suggest that suicidal behaviors are associated with risky decisions and deficient cognitive control in laboratory tasks in adults, comparatively less is known about adolescents. Here, we systematically reviewed the literature on the association between these neurocognitive variables and adolescent suicidal behaviors. The online search strategy identified 17 neurocognitive studies examining either cognitive control or decision-making processes in adolescents with past suicidal behaviors. Several studies have reported that adolescents with a history of suicidal behaviors present neuropsychological differences in the cognitive control (using Go/NoGo, suicide Stroop Test, continuous performance test, suicide/death Implicit Association Test), and decision-making (Iowa Gambling Task, Cambridge Gambling Task, cost computation, delay discounting, loss aversion tasks) domains. Due to a lack of replication or conflicting findings, our systematic review suggests that no firm conclusion can be drawn as to whether altered decision-making or poor cognitive control contribute to adolescent suicidal behaviors. However, these results collectively suggest that further research is warranted. Limitations included scarcity of longitudinal studies and a lack of homogeneity in study designs, which precluded quantitative analysis. We propose remediating ways to continue neuropsychological investigations of suicide risk in adolescence, which could lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets and predictive markers, enabling early intervention in suicidal youth.

Sleep-Wake Timings in Adolescence: Chronotype Development and Associations with Adjustment.

Adolescent sleep research has focused heavily on duration and quality with less work examining chronotype, defined as individual differences in sleep-wake timings driven by the circadian rhythm. This study filled a gap in the literature by utilizing actigraphy-based sleep estimates in an accelerated longitudinal design in order to better understand the developmental trajectory and individual stability of chronotype during adolescence, as well as the associations between chronotype with risky behaviors, substance use, and depressive symptoms. A total of 329 adolescents (57% female; 21% Asian American, 31% European American, 41% Latino, 7% other ethnicity) provided actigraphy-based estimates of sleep and completed questionnaires at up to three time points, two years apart, beginning at 14-17 years of age. Multilevel modeling revealed a non-linear developmental trend in chronotype whereby eveningness increased from 14 to 19 years of age followed by a trend toward morningness. Individual differences in chronotype exhibited modest stability during adolescent development. Furthermore, greater evening chronotype was associated with more risky behaviors and substance use among males, and more substance use among older adolescents, whereas depressive symptoms were not associated with chronotype. The findings from this study may have practical implications for adolescent behavioral health interventions targeted at reducing risky behaviors and substance use among youth.

Evaluation of a Community-Based Harm Reduction Intervention Aimed at Adjudicated College Students.

The purpose of this study was to develop, test, and use an instrument to measure the effectiveness of a community-based, mandated drug education intervention program, Youthful Offenders Program (YOP), targeting college students at risk. A total of N = 350 students voluntarily agreed to participate in an evaluation of program effectiveness using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) and a newly developed measure to compare changes in substance related behaviors over time. Results revealed sound psychometric structure for the new scale for use in program evaluation; results suggest that YOP significantly enhanced safety practices and reduced hazardous drinking and recidivism, but not avoidance of risky behaviors.

Social media use and risky behaviors in adolescents: A meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the associations between social media use and risky behaviors during adolescence, and evaluated study characteristics (e.g., sample age, type of social media platform assessed) that may moderate these relationships. METHODS: A comprehensive search strategy identified relevant studies from PsycInfo, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Proquest Dissertations and Theses Global. RESULTS: The final sample included 27 independent cross-sectional studies with a total of 67,407 adolescents (Mage = 15.5, range: 12.6-18.0 years; 51.7% girls; 57.2% White). Results from random effects models indicated that there were positive, small-to-medium correlations between social media use and engagement in risky behaviors generally (r = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.16-0.25), substance use (r = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.12-0.26), and risky sexual behaviors (r = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.15-0.28). There were an insufficient number of independent samples available to conduct a random effect models for violence-related behaviors (k = 3). Moderator analyses suggested that studies assessing solely early social media platforms (e.g., Facebook/MySpace only) in relation to substance use had smaller effect sizes than substance use studies assessing a broader range of contemporary social media platforms. In addition, younger samples had larger effect sizes for studies focused on social media use and risky sexual behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: The positive links identified between social media and risky behaviors during adolescence in this meta-analysis suggest that developmental theories of risk taking would benefit from incorporating the social media context. Longitudinal studies are needed to clarify directionality and make more specific practice and policy recommendations so that social media is a safe place in which adolescents can thrive.

The association between problematic alcohol use, risk perceptions, and e-cigarette use.

Background: Use of e-cigarettes among college students has escalated, in part due to the perception that they are less harmful than traditional cigarettes and have other benefits such as circumventing smoking bans. College students also drink more heavily than other age groups, and e-cigarettes are associated with alcohol, especially among students who engage in problematic drinking.Objective: The present study sought to determine if an interaction between problematic alcohol use and increased perceptions of benefits and decreased perceptions of risks of e-cigarettes would predict whether participants had ever used an e-cigarette.Method: The present study included 1,133 undergraduate college students surveyed between November 2014 - November 2016. Participants were primarily Caucasian (82.3%) and female (78.1%). Participants completed questionnaires regarding demographics, smoking status/history, and expectancies.Results: Higher levels of problematic drinking and higher perceived benefits of e-cigarette use were both associated with having tried e-cigarettes. This relationship was significant even when controlling for several covariates such as cigarettes smoking status. However, there was not a significant interaction between problematic alcohol use and perceived benefits or risks of e-cigarettes. There was also no relationship between risk perceptions of e-cigarettes and e-cigarettes use.Conclusions: Both problematic alcohol use and perception of benefits of e-cigarettes were associated with having tried an e-cigarette. This finding is problematic as the use of e-cigarettes may influence further engagement in risky behaviors including problematic drinking or transitioning to regular cigarette use. Thus, it is important to develop interventions to help college students develop more accurate risk perceptions about e-cigarettes.

Regret Me Not: Examining the Relationship between Alcohol Consumption and Regrettable Experiences.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use is a considerable public health concern, leading to negative health and adverse social consequences. Despite widespread knowledge and acceptance of these consequences many individuals continue to drink excessively. Lack of regret for these consequences may partially explain this. Objectives: To examine the prevalence of regrettable experiences and their role in future intentions to drink. Methods: In two studies (Study 1: cross-sectional; Study 2: longitudinal) participants reported on 18 regrettable experiences; from common regrets (e.g. hangover), to risky behaviors (e.g. drug taking), and serious regrets (e.g. driving under the influence), over a two-week period. Results: Prevalence of regrettable experiences was high (e.g. 79.0% of individuals in study 1 and 66.9% of individuals in study 2 experienced a hangover). Prevalence was greater for common regrets compared to risky behaviors and serious regrets. In study one, alcohol consumed over the previous fortnight predicted the number of different regrettable experiences over the same period. In study two, units consumed on a day-to-day basis predicted the number of regrets on that same basis. Neither study demonstrated evidence for the predictive utility of regrets for intentions to consume alcohol in the future. Conclusions: These findings suggest high prevalence of regrettable experiences, that are predicted by increased alcohol consumption. However, there was little evidence that increased number of experiences predicted future drinking intentions. Regrettable experiences are prevalent following consumption, however a focus on these regrets to deter future alcohol consumption may not be an effective psychological intervention.

Co-occurrence of Dating Violence Victimization Subtypes: Assessing the Influence of Family Factors, Dating Attitudes, Risky Behaviors, and the Moderating Effect of Gender Among School-Aged Teens.

Using data from a nationally representative sample of school-aged teens (n = 795), this study examined covariates associated with three subtypes of dating violence victimization (physical violence, emotional abuse, and imposed isolation). We asked the research questions: What were the family factors, dating attitudes, and risky behaviors associated with three subtypes of dating violence victimization across two time points? Second, were these relationships moderated by gender? Overall, we found widespread co-occurrence of victimization. Contrary to our predictions, not all earlier experiences with dating violence victimization worsened or persisted overtime. Regarding family factors, we did not find substantial statistically significant effects on victimization, with the exception that greater openness with parents was associated with increased occurrence of emotional abuse at Wave 1. In terms of dating attitudes, we found that when respondents condoned violence against a girlfriend, they were more likely to experience physical violence victimization at both waves. Respondents who believed that it is okay to use violence to control a boyfriend's behavior were more likely to report emotional abuse at Wave 1. Similarly, respondents who believed that it is okay to date more than one person, as well as those who condoned sexual intercourse outside of a romantic relationship, were more susceptible to emotional abuse. Regarding risky behaviors, we found that the respondents' victimization experience did not increase with a greater sexual partner acquisition; rather, it exerted the opposite effect on their experience with physical violence victimization. These risky behaviors, however, were only statistically significant at Wave 1. Finally, the moderating effect of gender is noted in the study. Implications from the study are discussed.