title: Childhood Physical and Sexual Abuse and Social Network Patterns on Social Media: Associations With Alcohol Use and Problems Among Young Adult Women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to examine the links between severities of child abuse (physical vs. sexual), and alcohol use versus problems via social media (Facebook) peer connection structures.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 318 undergraduate female students at a public university in the United States reported severity of child abuse experiences and current alcohol use and problems. Social network data were obtained directly from the individuals' Facebook network.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Severity of childhood physical abuse was positively linked to alcohol use and problems via eigenvector centrality, whereas severity of childhood sexual abuse was negatively linked to alcohol use and problems via clustering coefficient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Childhood physical and sexual abuse were linked positively and negatively, respectively, to online social network patterns associated with alcohol use and problems. The study suggests the potential utility of these online network patterns as risk indices and ultimately using social media as a platform for targeted preventive interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development & Family Science, The Youth Development Lab, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
authors.forename: Assaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oshri
authors.affiliation: Department of Advertising & Public Relations, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
authors.forename: Itai
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Himelboim
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Development & Family Science, The Youth Development Lab, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
authors.forename: Josephine A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.
authors.forename: Tara E
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Sutton
authors.affiliation: Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University/St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mackillop
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012944:Social Support; D014481:United States; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult