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Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons™
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- Substance Use (12)
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Articles 1 - 30 of 34
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
Religion, Nonreligion, And Deviance: Comparing Faith's And Family's Relative Strength In Promoting Social Conformity, Whitney Decamp, Jesse M. Smith
Religion, Nonreligion, And Deviance: Comparing Faith's And Family's Relative Strength In Promoting Social Conformity, Whitney Decamp, Jesse M. Smith
Whitney DeCamp
The view that religion, as a source of moral guidance and social support, can function to prevent or protect individuals, especially children and adolescents, from a range of deviant and delinquent behaviors is largely (but not completely) born out in the literature. In nations with strong religious identities such as the United States, there is a normative expectation that adolescents who identify with religion are less likely to engage in deviant behavior than those who claim no religion. The present study explores this issue using data from over 10,000 American middle school and high school youth to examine the relationship …
Parental Influence On Youth Violent Video Game Use, Whitney Decamp
Parental Influence On Youth Violent Video Game Use, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
Violent video games have been the subject of much news and analysis. One area of the debate, particularly in legal arenas, has been whether parents have or should have control over what games their children play. Despite such debates, only limited empirical research has examined whether parents actually do have influence over what games their children play or how much they play them. Using cross-sectional data from large-samples of American high-school and middle-school students, this study examines parental influences on violent video game play and the role of perceived parental opinion of violent video games. Results suggest that parental attachment …
It’S Still About Race: Peremptory Challenge Use On Black Prospective Jurors, Whitney Decamp, Elise Decamp
It’S Still About Race: Peremptory Challenge Use On Black Prospective Jurors, Whitney Decamp, Elise Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
Objectives: The use of race as a motive for excluding individuals from serving on juries in American criminal trials is unconstitutional. Nevertheless, black individuals remain substantially more likely than others to be removed during jury selection through peremptory challenges. This study tests whether and to what extent there is a racial effect on peremptory challenge use by the prosecution or the defense.
Methods: Using data from 2,542 venire members in Mississippi, propensity score matching is used to examine racial differences in jury selection by comparing black venire members to similarly situated white venire member counterparts.
Results: Findings suggest that black …
The Impact Of Degree Of Exposure To Violent Video Games, Family Background, And Other Factors On Youth Violence, Whitney Decamp, Christopher J. Ferguson
The Impact Of Degree Of Exposure To Violent Video Games, Family Background, And Other Factors On Youth Violence, Whitney Decamp, Christopher J. Ferguson
Whitney DeCamp
Despite decades of study, no scholarly consensus has emerged regarding whether violent video games contribute to youth violence. Some skeptics contend that small correlations between violent game play and violence-related outcomes may be due to other factors, which include a wide range of possible effects from gender, mental health, and social influences. The current study examines this issue with a large and diverse (49% white, 21% black, 18% Hispanic, and 12% other or mixed race/ethnicity; 51% female) sample of youth in eighth (n=5,133) and eleventh grade (n=3,886). Models examining video game play and violence-related outcomes without any controls tended to …
“Sports Will Keep ‘Em Out Of Trouble”: A Comparative Analysis Of Substance Use Among Adolescents And Young Adults, David C. Lane, Whitney Decamp
“Sports Will Keep ‘Em Out Of Trouble”: A Comparative Analysis Of Substance Use Among Adolescents And Young Adults, David C. Lane, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
Objective: The purpose of this research is to examine cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, steroids, and other drug use among high school and college students in the state of Delaware. This builds on previous research examining the dynamics of substance use and sports participation.
Methods: The data come from the Delaware High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS-HS) and the College Risk Behaviors Study (CRBS), which are used to compare athletes and non-athletes. There were 7,781 high school students from the YRBS-HS and 4,019 college students from the CRBS in the sample.
Results: Findings indicate that participants in team sports at the …
Who Plays Violent Video Games? An Exploratory Analysis Of Predictors Of Playing Violent Games, Whitney Decamp
Who Plays Violent Video Games? An Exploratory Analysis Of Predictors Of Playing Violent Games, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
For roughly two decades, academics, politicians, and the media have debated the relationship between playing violent video games and engaging in violent acts. Despite the extensive attention paid to this possible outcome, no such spotlight has been placed on what leads to youth playing violent video games, which would provide the necessary context for potential later effects. The present study uses five datasets that include over 19,000 American youth in fifth through twelfth grades to provide an exploratory, inductive investigation into the predictors of playing violent video games. The results identify several themes of predictors of violent game play, including …
From Playing To Programming: The Effect Of Video Game Play On Confidence With Computers And An Interest In Computer Science, Rebecca Sevin, Whitney Decamp
From Playing To Programming: The Effect Of Video Game Play On Confidence With Computers And An Interest In Computer Science, Rebecca Sevin, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
Research on the effects of playing video games has been limited by a preoccupation with possible negative repercussions. Nevertheless, research has shown that video games can have positive effects on young players' social lives. The existing body of research, however, has largely ignored the more computer-related aspects of video game play and its effects. This study provides empirical evidence to support theoretical arguments about the relationship between playing video games and computers. The type of scientific thinking encouraged by video games and the technological abilities needed to play video games is suggested to result in an increase in players’ confidence …
“Money Will Solve The Problem”: Testing The Effectiveness Of Conditional Incentives For Online Surveys, Whitney Decamp
“Money Will Solve The Problem”: Testing The Effectiveness Of Conditional Incentives For Online Surveys, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
Incentivizing survey participation through the use of cash or other rewards has often been used to encourage participation. This is often done with the hopes of increasing response rates and, therefore, representativeness of the responding sample as well. The effectiveness of incentives has generally been shown to be positive, but results have been mixed for conditional incentives and for online surveys. Using an experimental design, this study uses a random sample of undergraduate students to estimate group differences, incorporating both official and self-report data. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three different groups with varying incentives of five dollars, …
Motivation Is Key: The Differing Predictors Of Adolescents’ Nonmedical Use Of Prescription Drugs, Whitney Decamp, James Herzig, Brooke O'Neil, Daniel J. O’Connell
Motivation Is Key: The Differing Predictors Of Adolescents’ Nonmedical Use Of Prescription Drugs, Whitney Decamp, James Herzig, Brooke O'Neil, Daniel J. O’Connell
Whitney DeCamp
The concern over the nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) has increased in recent years, as the public and substance use experts become increasingly aware of the high prevalence of such prescription drug use. Despite increased research in this area, little research has focused on the motivations for NMUPD. This is a noteworthy limitation, as recreational users may be quite different from those who are using prescription drugs without a prescription to treat a medical illness/condition. The present study uses data from over 11,000 eleventh grade students to model the predictors of NMUPD by motivation for using. Results indicate that …
Self-Injury, Suicide Ideation, And Sexual Orientation: Differences In Causes And Correlates Among High School Students, Whitney Decamp, Nicholas W. Bakken
Self-Injury, Suicide Ideation, And Sexual Orientation: Differences In Causes And Correlates Among High School Students, Whitney Decamp, Nicholas W. Bakken
Whitney DeCamp
Background: Research has suggested that sexual minority youth are more likely to experience a number of behavioral and health-related risk factors due to their exposure to negative attitudes and beliefs about sexual minorities. Few studies, however, have examined the prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among sexual minority youth. With self-cutting and suicidal ideation common in middle and high schools, understanding the antecedents and correlates of such behavior may help identify troubled students and initiate preventative measures.
Methods: Bivariate probit regression analyses are performed using data from 7,326 high school students collected via the Delaware Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Results: Results …
Bad Reputation: Stigma As An Inhibitor Of Risk Behaviors, Brian Newby, Whitney Decamp
Bad Reputation: Stigma As An Inhibitor Of Risk Behaviors, Brian Newby, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
In recent years, it has been suggested that technological and scientific advancements have made the world a safer place, yet the fear of risk and threats to safety is higher than ever. This theory suggests that people are increasingly basing decisions about risk behaviors on the potential impact on their reputation. Specifically, the stigma of taking risks has been alleged to be a primary factor inhibiting risk-taking behavior. This claim, however, has remained theoretical and without empirical tests to determine its validity. The present study uses data collected from a random sample of college students, including data from open-ended responses …
Developmental Victimology: Estimating Group Victimization Trajectories In The Age-Victimization Curve, Whitney Decamp, Heather Zaykowski
Developmental Victimology: Estimating Group Victimization Trajectories In The Age-Victimization Curve, Whitney Decamp, Heather Zaykowski
Whitney DeCamp
Although research on the age-crime curve has made significant advances in the past few decades, our understanding of victimization has not benefited to the same degree. The present study examines the age-victim curve to explore victimization trajectories, which increases our understanding of risks over time through different life pathways. Using data from the Offending, Crime and Justice Survey, a national longitudinal survey in England and Wales, trajectory modeling is used to estimate different violent victimization trajectories for people aged 10 to 29 over four years of data. Analyses indicate the presence of four distinct victimization trajectories, including: rarely victimized, young …
From Bullied To Deviant: The Victim-Offender Overlap Among Bullying Victims, Whitney Decamp, Brian Newby
From Bullied To Deviant: The Victim-Offender Overlap Among Bullying Victims, Whitney Decamp, Brian Newby
Whitney DeCamp
Though much research has explored bullies and bullying victims, little has been done to explore the long-term effects on those who have been bullied. Separately, a growing body of evidence suggests that there is a victim-offender overlap, in which many victims are or become offenders themselves. Taken together, this suggests that bullying victims may themselves be at elevated risk for involvement in deviance or crime. The present study uses data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97) to explore this issue, utilizing propensity score matching to control for the shared predictors of offending and victimization. Given that bullying …
Why So Many Questions? Measurement Issues And The Attitudinal Self-Control Scale, Whitney Decamp
Why So Many Questions? Measurement Issues And The Attitudinal Self-Control Scale, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
The Grasmick et al. scale is one of the most frequently used measures in criminology. Regardless of how common the scale is used, questions remain about its dimensionality and the nature of forming a composite measure from its 24 individual components. This study examines whether a composite measure is the most effective method for using the scale with a series of analyses using different approaches to combining - or not combining - these measures. Based on data from a sample of over 1,500 college students, the results indicate that a single-factor composite of the 24 items is the least effective …
Impersonal Agencies Of Communication: Comparing The Effects Of Video Games And Other Risk Factors On Violence, Whitney Decamp
Impersonal Agencies Of Communication: Comparing The Effects Of Video Games And Other Risk Factors On Violence, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
In the debated topic of violent video games and violent behavior, empirical evidence has been mixed. Some studies support the assertion that there is a causal or correlational link between gaming and violence, while others do not find such support. Recent advances have demonstrated that adequately controlling for background characteristics that might result in a selection bias decrease the effect sizes. However, it remains unclear how strong of an effect video game playing has in comparison to other risk factors. The present study uses data from over 6,000 eighth grade students to examine the effects of playing violent games. Using …
Therapeutic Engagement As A Predictor Of Retention In Adolescent Tc Treatment, Sami Abdel-Salam, Whitney Decamp
Therapeutic Engagement As A Predictor Of Retention In Adolescent Tc Treatment, Sami Abdel-Salam, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
The adolescent drug problem places a huge toll on society and a heavy burden on the criminal justice system. Research regarding the benefits of therapeutic community treatment for adolescents has shown them to be effective. Despite the ability of therapeutic communities to lower drug relapse and reduce criminality, a great deal remains unknown in terms of how the process of treatment actually works for adolescents. Using data collected as part of the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcomes Studies – Adolescents, this study examines the relationship between therapeutic engagement and treatment retention. The primary findings are that measures of therapeutic engagement had …
Explaining Prescription Opioid Misuse Among Veterans: A Theory-Based Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling, Khary Rigg, Whitney Decamp
Explaining Prescription Opioid Misuse Among Veterans: A Theory-Based Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling, Khary Rigg, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
The dramatic rise in prescription opioid misuse (POM) is a major issue that has implications for the medical community, mental health practitioners, criminal justice officials, and public health professionals. Though there is an increasing amount of research being done on the issue, a relatively small number of studies focus on military veterans or are grounded in theoretical explanations of drug use. As a result, the theoretical links that may explain POM in this population are not well-understood. The goal of this study, therefore, is to examine the extent to which Reginald Smart's availability-proneness model may be able to account for …
Spirituality And Desistance From Substance Use Among Reentering Offenders, Nicholas W. Bakken, Whitney Decamp, Christy A. Visher
Spirituality And Desistance From Substance Use Among Reentering Offenders, Nicholas W. Bakken, Whitney Decamp, Christy A. Visher
Whitney DeCamp
Prior research has indicated an inverse relationship between religion and criminal behavior, however few studies have specifically examined the effect of spirituality on the desistance process among a contemporary and diverse sample of reentering drug-involved offenders. A comprehensive understanding of how spirituality is related to desistance from substance use can lead to more effective and evidence-based preventive and rehabilitative interventions. Using data from a longitudinal study of 920 diverse offenders returning to the community after a period of incarceration, the current study examines three distinct forms of substance use (alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine) to gauge the effect that spirituality plays …
Therapeutic Engagement And Post-Treatment Substance Use In Adolescent Tc Clients: Direct And Indirect Effects, Whitney Decamp, Sami Abdel-Salam
Therapeutic Engagement And Post-Treatment Substance Use In Adolescent Tc Clients: Direct And Indirect Effects, Whitney Decamp, Sami Abdel-Salam
Whitney DeCamp
The problem of adolescent drug use places a huge toll on society and a heavy burden on the criminal justice system. Despite the ability of therapeutic communities to lower drug relapse, a great deal remains unknown in terms of how the process of treatment actually works for adolescents. Using data collected as part of the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcomes Studies – Adolescents, this study examines the direct and indirect relationship between therapeutic engagement and post-treatment substance use. Though there are few direct effects from therapeutic engagement on substance use, findings suggest that those more engaged in treatment are more likely …
Self-Treatment Vs. Recreational Motives: Differentiating Nonmedical Use Of Prescription Drugs Among Youth, Whitney Decamp, Erin J. Farley, Daniel J. O’Connell
Self-Treatment Vs. Recreational Motives: Differentiating Nonmedical Use Of Prescription Drugs Among Youth, Whitney Decamp, Erin J. Farley, Daniel J. O’Connell
Whitney DeCamp
Nonmedical use of prescription drugs has become a serious social problem among American youth. Two general categories of motives for the nonmedical use of prescription drugs include self-treatment and recreational use. This study assesses differences between nonmedical prescription drug users based on their self-reported motivation for using prescription drugs. Data come from more than 11,000 11th grade students in Delaware public schools. Analyses indicate significant differences in prevalence, correlates, and consequences on nonmedical use of prescription drugs based on motivation for use. Analysis reveal that, among those students who reported non-medical use of prescription drugs, those who are using for …
Fatherhood, Community Reintegration, And Successful Outcomes, Christy A. Visher, Nicholas W. Bakken, Whitney Decamp
Fatherhood, Community Reintegration, And Successful Outcomes, Christy A. Visher, Nicholas W. Bakken, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
Prior research indicates that assuming family roles, such as parent or spouse, can aid in the transition from prison to the community and has been linked to positive outcomes after a period of confinement. Using data from a longitudinal study of men returning to the community after incarceration, this study examines how the relationship between fathers and their children immediately after release may impact aspects of fathers’ lives that are important to a successful reentry transition in the first year, such as employment, abstinence from substance abuse, and mental health. Analyses show that fathers who lived with children before incarceration …
Gender Differences In Victimization Risk: Exploring The Role Of Deviant Lifestyles, Heather Zaykowski, Whitney Decamp
Gender Differences In Victimization Risk: Exploring The Role Of Deviant Lifestyles, Heather Zaykowski, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
While research over the past few decades has illustrated that gender is a significant predictor of victimization, there has been less attention towards explaining these differences. Furthermore, there has been little attention given to how offending and other deviant behaviors contribute to victimization risk for males and females. This is surprising considering that offending, particularly violent behavior, is highly correlated with victimization risk and that males are more likely to offend than females. This study applied cross-sectional and time-ordered models predicting violent victimization and repeat victimization to examine how deviant lifestyles impacted victimization risk for males and females. The results …
Health Behaviors And Standardized Test Scores: The Impact Of School Health Climate On Performance, Whitney Decamp, Kevin Daly
Health Behaviors And Standardized Test Scores: The Impact Of School Health Climate On Performance, Whitney Decamp, Kevin Daly
Whitney DeCamp
Research has found that many characteristics are related to performance on standardized tests. Many of these are not necessarily “academic” attributes. One area of this research is on the connection between physical health/lifestyles and test performance. The research that exist in this area is often disconnected with each other and tends to focus on a limited number of factors. Moreover, the impact of the school climate, as related to health-behaviors, has not been examined. The present study uses data from 32 schools over four years to examine the relationship between health norms and average test performance while controlling for demographic …
Youth Victimization: School Climate Or Deviant Lifestyles?, Heather Zaykowski, Whitney Decamp
Youth Victimization: School Climate Or Deviant Lifestyles?, Heather Zaykowski, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
Despite much focus on school violence, there has been little research that explores the relationship between offending and victimization in various school climates. School climate theory suggests that the school’s social system, culture, milieu and ecological structure impact student outcomes including academic performance, delinquency and more recently, victimization. Hierarchical analysis of data from 5,037 11th grade students in 33 schools found that offending behavior was the strongest predictor for both minor and more serious forms of victimization. School climate, specifically the social cohesion of schools, reduced serious violent victimization risk. However, school climate did not impact the relationship between offending …
Desisting From Prescription Drug Abuse: An Application Of Growth Models To Rx Opioid Users, Whitney Decamp, Steven P. Kurtz, Nicholas W. Bakken, Daniel J. O’Connell
Desisting From Prescription Drug Abuse: An Application Of Growth Models To Rx Opioid Users, Whitney Decamp, Steven P. Kurtz, Nicholas W. Bakken, Daniel J. O’Connell
Whitney DeCamp
Modern desistance research has examined many facets of desistance, both in terms of theoretical predictors of desistance and recidivism, and in terms of differing types of offending. Though predicting desistance from illegal drug use is among these topics, no research to date has examined the predictors of desisting from prescription opioid abuse. This study uses longitudinal data from 318 prescription opioid users to analyze the effects of various predictors of desistance on declining nonmedical prescription opioid use, with an emphasis on gender differences among participants. Results indicate theoretical and demographic characteristics correspond with differing rates of decline and further vary …
Self-Cutting And Suicidal Ideation Among Adolescents: Gender Differences In The Causes And Correlates Of Self-Injury, Nicholas W. Bakken, Whitney Decamp
Self-Cutting And Suicidal Ideation Among Adolescents: Gender Differences In The Causes And Correlates Of Self-Injury, Nicholas W. Bakken, Whitney Decamp
Whitney DeCamp
In recent years, non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents has been identified as alarmingly common place. Some studies have suggested that more than one in eight adolescents have engaged in self-cutting or other self-injuring behaviors. Even more of a concern is that self-injury often foreshadows suicide or suicide attempts. With self-cutting common in middle and high schools, understanding the antecedents and correlates of such behavior may help counselors and others public health officials identify troubled students and initiate preventative measures. This study utilizes data from 2,639 high school students from the Delaware Youth Risk Behavior Survey to investigate the gender differences …
Causal Or Spurious: Using Propensity Score Matching To Detangle The Relationship Between Violent Video Games And Violent Behavior, Whitney Decamp, Kevin Daly
Causal Or Spurious: Using Propensity Score Matching To Detangle The Relationship Between Violent Video Games And Violent Behavior, Whitney Decamp, Kevin Daly
Whitney DeCamp
Throughout the past decade, numerous states have passed legislation to prohibit the sale of violent video games to children, usually in conjunction with an argument that exposure to violent media increases violent behavior. However, the link between video games and violence is not yet fully understood. This study uses propensity score matching as a method to more adequately address the underlying issue of causality. Using a sample of 6,567 8th grade students, these analyses test whether there is a causal link between playing violent video games and violence, non-violent deviance and substance use. Results indicate a substantial decrease in the …
The Many Measurements Of Self-Control: How Reoperationalized Self-Control Compares, Whitney Decamp, Nicholas W. Bakken
The Many Measurements Of Self-Control: How Reoperationalized Self-Control Compares, Whitney Decamp, Nicholas W. Bakken
Whitney DeCamp
Since Gottfredson and Hirschi’s ‘A General Theory of Crime’ was published in 1990, self-control has become a major focus in criminological theory and research and the issue of measuring self-control has been the topic of many debates. Much of this research has used Grasmick and colleagues’ 1993 attitudinal scale. In 2004, Hirschi provided a new definition for self-control designed to spur new measurements of the concept. Despite this effort, only Piquero and Bouffard (2007) have provided an in-depth attempt to measure the redefined concept. This study replicates the Piquero and Bouffard measurement and a traditional measure of self-control in order …
Debating Empirical Questions On The Internet: Rival Claims About Crowd Sizes Of The Glenn Beck/Stewart-Colbert Rallies, Whitney Decamp, Joel Best
Debating Empirical Questions On The Internet: Rival Claims About Crowd Sizes Of The Glenn Beck/Stewart-Colbert Rallies, Whitney Decamp, Joel Best
Whitney DeCamp
Analysts argue that the Internet can democratize the construction of social problems and reduce claimsmakers’ dependence on coverage in traditional media. This paper examines Internet claims about the relative sizes of 2010 rallies on the Washington, D.C. National Mall hosted by Glenn Beck and Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert. Because crowd size is understood to be an index for the popularity of social causes, and because the two rallies were taken to stand for opposing positions in the culture war, numerous advocates offered competing analyses of the crowds’ relative sizes. Analysis of these claims suggests that the Internet offers a forum where …
Predicting Feelings Of School Safety For Lower, Middle, And Upper School Students: A Gender Specific Analysis, Ronet Bachman, Whitney Decamp, Nicholas W. Bakken
Predicting Feelings Of School Safety For Lower, Middle, And Upper School Students: A Gender Specific Analysis, Ronet Bachman, Whitney Decamp, Nicholas W. Bakken
Whitney DeCamp
Though the literature is making advances in the study of fear for the general population, we still know very little about adolescent’s perceptions of fear in the school setting. Moreover, the existing literature has primarily examined fear among older adolescents, and has not provided gender-sensitive analyses when exploring the factors related to fear. In this paper, we examine both the individual and contextual factors that predict male and female students’ feelings of safety for 5th, 8th, and 11th graders who attend public schools in the state of Delaware. Previous victimization experiences were the most consistent predictor of fear for all …