GENDER-RELATED DIFFERENCES IN CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING INITIATION AND ESCALATION OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER SUBSTANCE USE ABUSE

We estimate a series of multivariate logistic regression models specif ying the effects of gender and other variables on the initiation and e scalation of alcohol and other substance use/abuse in a sample of youn g adults from a general population. After controlling for race, ethnic ity, father's education, and a tendency to over- or underendorse state ments, effects of gender an circumstances surrounding initiation/escal ation of binge drinking, marijuana use, and use of other illicit drugs were observed to be congruent with the literature on gender-related s ociodevelopmental processes and empirical studies of the circumstances surrounding substance use. Among substance users/abusers, gender was implicated in self-reports of the relevance of peer influence, needs t o enhance self-importance and a sense of power, conflictive consequenc es, sensation-seeking, and reduction of distress in the processes surr ounding initiation and escalation of use.