Measures of self‐reported identity associated with sex and gender: Relations with collegiate drinking. (17th March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Anderson, Kristen G.; Garrison, Elise; Clifton, Richelle L.; Harper, Leia; Zapolski, Tamika C. B.; Khazvand, Shirin; Carson, Ian
• Is Part Of: Alcoholism. Volume 47:Number 3(2023)
• Page Start: 501
• Page End: 511
• Publication Date: 2023-03-17
• Subjects: alcohol -- college students -- gender -- methods -- nonbinary -- sex; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Alcoolisme; Electronic journals; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 616.861005
• DOI: 10.1111/acer.15013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-6008

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Quantitative research has typically relied on categorical measures of sex assigned at birth (SAAB) and gender, with heterogeneous findings in terms of their associations with alcohol‐related behavior. This investigation examined continuous indices of self‐identification as an alternative to categorical operationalizations in alcohol research. Method: Eight hundred ninety‐three undergraduate students (74.6% cisgender women, 20.3% cisgender men, 3.9% nonbinary, and 1.2% transgender), recruited from the Midwest and Pacific Northwest of the United States, completed online measures of SAAB (male/female), gender (categorical), continuous indices of identification (femaleness, maleness, and bidirectional), and alcohol consumption (Cahalan Indices; Daily Drinking Questionnaire‐Revised; Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test [AUDIT]). Results: Novel continuous measures of identification were associated with categorical indices of SAAB and gender as predicted. While none of the self‐identification indices (continuous or categorical) predicted current drinking (consumption in the past 30 days), they evidenced relatively consistent, albeit small effects, across quantity–frequency of drinking and AUDIT scores for current drinkers. Higher scores on maleness and bidirectional indices of identification were associated with greater consumption, while greater endorsement of femaleness and being a cisgender woman (vs. a cisgender man) were related to less drinking. Conclusions: Continuous self‐reported identification items performed well when describing drinking behavior in college students. The inclusion of dimensional scales of identity broadens our ability to capture differing self‐conceptualizations in research. Abstract : Alcohol research continues to use categorical measures of gender that exclude members of the gender‐diverse community (e.g., transgender and nonbinary individuals). We examined continuous indices of self‐identification as an alternative to categorical operationalizations. Our continuous items performed on par with traditional measures when describing drinking behavior in college students. With important cultural shifts around gender identification, the inclusion of dimensional scales of identity broadens our ability to capture differing self‐conceptualizations in research and hopefully decrease feelings of exclusion or insult.