Online Social Networks and Risky Sexual Behavior in Maltreated Adolescents

描述(由申请人提供)：这是一份申请导师研究科学家发展奖的申请书。候选人的长期职业目标是成为一名独立调查员，擅长将生物心理社会模型应用于有虐待经历的个人，重点是社交媒体和社交网络分析。研究发现，同伴的影响在危险的性行为和吸毒的发展过程中尤其重要。受到虐待的个人特别容易受到伤害。青春期成熟已被发现与虐待相互作用，从而影响危险行为。早熟的青少年可能更容易受到同伴的影响，尽管这可能会因虐待经历而有所不同。尚未研究的是，社交网络的特征可能会使受虐待的青少年更容易受到伤害，以及这种影响是如何通过在线互动发挥作用的。社交网络分析是检验文献中这些差距的可行方法，但几乎没有关于虐待青少年如何使用社交网络网站以及这如何影响他们参与危险行为的研究。通过研究青春期的这些关系，我们可以更好地理解青少年遭受虐待的脆弱性，并为研究人员提供有充分根据的证据，以开发针对危险性行为和药物使用的干预和预防研究。这项拟议的研究将收集新一波社交网络/社交媒体数据，以检验青春期时机、同伴影响、社交网络、药物使用和危险性行为之间的联系，样本为虐待和对照青少年。样本将来自一项正在进行的虐待对青少年发展的纵向研究。在四波评估中获得了青春期发育、性活动和物质使用的数据。为K01建议的新一波数据收集将通过收集关于青少年当前的性活动和药物使用的在线社交网络数据和信息来增加现有的纵向研究。为了完成拟议的研究计划，候选人将在四个领域进行培训：(1)社会网络分析，包括用于分析社会网络的统计方法和计算机程序；(2)社交媒体在青少年发展中的作用以及这些技术的使用如何影响青少年的人际关系和行为；(3)将虐待与危险的性行为和药物使用联系起来的机制；(4)发展的生物心理社会模型，以了解虐待、青春期发育、在线社交和技术如何促进危险的性行为和药物使用的发展。培训和研究经验将为R01提案的制定奠定基础，R01提案将在受虐青少年样本中进行一项整合青春期、社交网络和风险行为的纵向研究。 公共卫生相关性：危险的性行为和药物使用可能导致严重后果，如少女怀孕、性传播感染和药物滥用/依赖。青少年从事危险的性行为和大量使用药物，其代价是确定的。这项研究将提供关于在线社交网络在青少年遭受虐待的危险性行为和物质使用的发展中的影响的新知识，为针对最高风险人群的干预和预防研究提供信息。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This is an application for a Mentored Research Scientist Development Award. The candidate's long-term career goal is to become an independent investigator with expertise in the application of biopsychosocial models to individuals with maltreatment experience with an emphasis on social media and social network analysis. Peer influence has been found to be particularly important in the development of both risky sexual activity and substance use. Individuals who have been maltreated are particularly vulnerable. Pubertal maturation has been found to interact with maltreatment to affect risk behaviors. Early maturing adolescents may be more susceptible to peer influence, although this may vary based on maltreatment experience. What has not been examined are the characteristics of social networks that may make maltreated adolescents more vulnerable, and how this influence operates via online interactions. Social network analysis is a viable method for examining these gaps in the literature and there is virtually no research on how maltreated adolescents use social network sites and how this affects their involvement in risky behavior. By examining these relationships across adolescence, we can develop a better understanding of the vulnerabilities for maltreated youth and provide researchers with well-grounded evidence to develop intervention and prevention studies targeting risky sexual behavior and substance use. The proposed study will collect a new wave of social network/social media data to examine the associations between pubertal timing, peer influence, social networks, substance use, and risky sexual behaviors in a sample of maltreated and comparison adolescents. The sample will be drawn from an ongoing longitudinal study of maltreatment on adolescent development. Data on pubertal development, sexual activity, and substance use were obtained at four waves of assessment. The new wave of data collection proposed for this K01 will add to the existing longitudinal study by collecting online social network data and information about the adolescent's current sexual activity and substance use. To complete the proposed research program the candidate will pursue training in four areas: (1) social network analysis, including statistical methods and computer programs for analyzing social networks, (2) the role of social media in adolescent development and how the use of these technologies affects adolescents' interpersonal relationships and behaviors, (3) mechanisms linking maltreatment to risky sexual behaviors and substance use, and (4) biopsychosocial models of development in order to understand how maltreatment, pubertal development, online social interaction, and technology contribute to the development of risky sexual behaviors and substance use. The training and research experience will provide the foundation for the development of an R01 proposal for a longitudinal study integrating puberty, social networks, and risk behavior in a sample of maltreated youth. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Risky sexual activity and substance use can result in serious consequences such as teenage pregnancy, STIs, and substance abuse/dependence. Adolescents are engaging in risky sexual behaviors and substance use in high numbers and the costs are well established. This research will provide new knowledge about the influence of online social networks in the development for risky sexual behavior and substance use for maltreated adolescents to inform intervention and prevention studies targeting those most at risk.