Childhood maltreatment and adolescent sexual risk behaviors: Unique, cumulative and interactive effects

dc.contributor.authorThibodeau, M. E., Lavoie, F., Hébert, M., & Blais, M.
dc.date.accessioned2017-09-27T16:50:27Z
dc.date.available2017-09-27T16:50:27Z
dc.date.issued2017
dc.description.abstractChild maltreatment has been associated with sexual risk behaviors. Previous investigators have typically studied only one form of maltreatment, preventing them from exploring interrelations between forms of maltreatment and their impact on sexual risk behaviors. Thus, this study aims to examine the unique, cumulative, and interactive effects of four maltreatment forms (sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect, and witnessing interparental violence) on sexual risk behaviors. The sample comprised 1940 sexually active adolescents (Mage = 15.6; 60.8% girls) attending [Blinded = Quebec (Canada)] high schools. Regression results showed that all maltreatment forms were associated with having a higher number of sexual partners, casual sexual behavior, and a younger age at first consensual intercourse. Physical abuse and witnessing interparental violence were associated with inconsistent condom use, and physical abuse was associated with sexually transmitted infections. After controlling for all forms of maltreatment (unique effects), analyses showed that sexual abuse, physical abuse, neglect or witnessing interparental violence remained statistically associated depending on the sexual risk behavior. A greater number of forms of maltreatment was associated with more sexual risk behaviors (cumulative effect). When sexual abuse was not experienced, neglect was associated with a higher number of sexual partners (interactive effects). In general, associations between maltreatment and sexual risk behaviors were similar for both genders. The magnitude of the relationship between a specific form of child maltreatment and sexual risk behaviors may be inaccurately estimated when not controlling for other forms of maltreatment.en_US
dc.identifier.citationThibodeau, M. E., Lavoie, F., Hébert, M., & Blais, M. (2017). Childhood maltreatment and adolescent sexual risk behaviors: Unique, cumulative and interactive effects. Child Abuse & Neglect, 72, 411-420.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213417303332
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11212/3550
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherChild Abuse & Neglecten_US
dc.subjectchild sexual abuseen_US
dc.subjectchild maltreatmenten_US
dc.subjectCumulative abuseen_US
dc.subjectSexual risk behaviorsen_US
dc.subjectGender differencesen_US
dc.titleChildhood maltreatment and adolescent sexual risk behaviors: Unique, cumulative and interactive effectsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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