The Impact of Engaging in Romantic Relationships On Mexican Adolescents Substance Use Offers: Exploring Gender Differences

Gender differences in the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in Mexico are rapidly disappearing (Villatoro et al., 2005).  Survey findings suggest that this may be a function of substance offers and availability (Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, 2008). In the past traditional gender roles of marianismo and machismo have been cited as the cause of the large gender gap in use (Villatoro, et al., 1998) but little is known about how shifting gender roles may be impacting the substance use offers received by females; a change that could account for the observed increase in usage. This paper sought to explore the role of adolescent romantic relationships on the number of substance use offers received, with particular interest in its impact on adolescent females.

            The overall hypothesis leading the study was that 1) adolescence that reported being in a romantic relationship would report more frequent substance use offers and 2) this relationship was moderated by gender. To test these hypotheses this study utilized pretest data collected as part of a larger pilot study implemented with adolescent youth (mean age 13) in the city of Guadalajara, Jalisco-Mexico (N=432).  OLS regressions were estimated predicting substance offers and testing the interaction between being in a relationship and gender. Substance use offers were measured by asking about the frequency of offers of four separate groups of substances: “In the last 12 months how many times were you offered…1) An alcoholic beverage, 2) Cigarettes, 3) Marijuana and 4) other type of drug”. A composite score of all offers was created, a = .77. Having been in a romantic relationship was measured by asking, “Have you ever had a boyfriend/girlfriend?” with following possible responses provided (0) no, (1) yes, once, (2) yes, twice, (3) yes, more than twice.  All models were estimated controlling for grade, age, two parent household, and risk behavior.

 The results of this study show that the association between being in a relationship and receiving alcohol and other drugs offers is significantly stronger for girls than for boys. The results indicate that in the absences of having ever been in a relationship girls report less offers then boys but that girls reports of substance use offers surpass the boys when they report having been in one or more relationships.  While it is unclear if substance use offers are happing within the romantic relationship itself, the findings indicate and that engaging in romantic relationship may be a risk factor for substance use for females. These findings suggest that shifting gender roles that communicate more permissive dating norms may need to be accompanied with prevention messages that empower females by teaching strategies to respond to substance use offers.