History of sexual abuse and development of sexual risk behavior in low-income, urban African American girls seeking mental health treatment

Die Entwicklung von Sexualität bei Kindern und Jugendlichen mit sexuellen Gewalterfahrungen

Zusammenfassung. Theoretischer Hintergrund: Zu den Folgen sexueller Gewalt gehören neben somatischen und psychischen Folgen auch Veränderungen in der Entwicklung der Sexualität. Fragestellung: Ziel dieses Reviews ist es, einen systematischen Überblick über den aktuellen Forschungsstand bezüglich der Entwicklung von Sexualität bei Kindern und Jugendlichen nach sexuellen Gewalterfahrungen zu geben. Methode: Eine systematische Literaturrecherche wurde in den Datenbanken PubMed, ERIC, Cochrane und PubPsych durchgeführt. Die Folgen von sexueller Gewalt bezüglich der Sexualität wurden systematisch analysiert. Ergebnisse: Es konnten insgesamt 127 Studien zur Sexualität nach sexueller Gewalt identifiziert werden, die acht Unterkategorien zugeordnet werden konnten: Sexuelles Risikoverhalten, Teenagerschwangerschaft, jugendliche Sexualstraftäter_innen, sexuelle Verhaltensauffälligkeiten, sexuelle Überzeugungen, Prostitution, Geschlechtskrankheiten und körperliche Symptome. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: Insgesamt zeigt die Literaturrecherche, dass die Sexualität von Kindern und Jugendlichen mit sexuellen Gewalterfahrungen teilweise nur lückenhaft untersucht wurde.

A Mobile Healing Program Using Virtual Reality for Sexual Violence Survivors: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Many young women suffer from sexual violence, but few practice self-healing activities.

AIMS

This study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary effects of a mobile virtual intervention, Sister, I will tell you!©, to heal young women after sexual violence in South Korea.

METHODS

A mobile virtual intervention, Sister, I will tell you!©, was developed based on a literature review and preliminary studies. In collaboration with sexual violence survivors and experts, eight modules for reflective writing and six modules for mindfulness meditation were included in this 4-week mobile virtual intervention. Thirty-four female sexual violence survivors were randomly assigned to either experimental (n = 19) or control groups (n = 15). The experimental group practiced reflective writing and mindfulness meditation, guided by the mobile virtual intervention. The control group practiced audio-guided mindfulness meditation. Pretest, posttest, and post-4-week evaluations with standardized instruments measured perceived support, negative impact from sexual violence, and suicidal ideation. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze survey data and content analysis to analyze reflective writing.

RESULTS

Among 34 enrolled participants, 26 completed the 4-week intervention and posttest evaluations; 24 completed post-4-week evaluations. Significant improvements were found among participants in the areas of perceived support, negative impact from sexual violence, and suicidal ideation. The effect size of the intervention was moderate. Four themes that emerged from reflective writings were objectifying sexual violence, healing beginning with action, confronting issues, and sharing experiences.

LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION

The intervention showed potential for initiating young women's engagement in healing from sexual violence. A simple mobile audio intervention without human interaction could benefit sexual violence survivors.

Integrating Individual and Contextual Factors to Explain Disparities in HIV/STI Among Heterosexual African American Youth: A Contemporary Literature Review and Social Ecological Model

Heterosexual African American youth face substantial disparities in sexual health consequences such as HIV and STI. Based on the social ecological framework, the current paper provides a comprehensive, narrative review of the past 14 years of literature examining HIV/STI risk, including risky sexual behavior, among heterosexual African American youth and a conceptual model of risk among this population. The review found that individual psychological and biological factors are insufficient to explain the sexual health disparities faced by this group; instead, structural disadvantage, interpersonal risk, and community dysfunction contribute to the disparity in HIV/STI outcomes directly and indirectly through individual psychological factors. The conceptual model presented suggests that for African American youth, (1) HIV/STI risk commonly begins at the structural level and trickles down to the community, social, and individual levels, (2) risk works in a positive feedback system such that downstream effects compound the influence of structural risks, and (3) contextual and individual risk factors must be considered within the advanced stage of the epidemic facing this population. Despite advanced HIV and STI epidemics among heterosexual African American youth, multisystemic interventions that target structural risk factors and their downstream effects are posited to reduce the disparity among this high-risk population.

Effect of child abuse and neglect on risk behaviors in inner-city minority female adolescents and young adults

BACKGROUND

Over six million children each year are referred to child protective services for child abuse (sexual, physical and emotional) and neglect (physical and emotional).

OBJECTIVE

While the relationship between child sexual abuse and sexually transmitted infections has been documented, there has been little research regarding the effects of other forms of maltreatment.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

882 inner-city females aged 12-20 years of age seen at a large adolescent and young adult (AYA) health center in New York City between 2012-2017.

METHODS

History of maltreatment was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Associations with depressive symptoms, antisocial behavior, peer deviancy, drug/alcohol use, and risky sexual behaviors were assessed.

RESULTS

History of maltreatment was common in our cohort of inner-city AYA females, with 59.6 % reporting any type of maltreatment, including sexual abuse (17.5 %), physical abuse (19.5 %) or neglect (26.2 %), and emotional abuse (30.7 %) or neglect (40.4 %). We observed significant associations between all forms of maltreatment and risk of depression, drug/alcohol use, antisocial behaviors, peer deviancy, and risky sexual risk behaviors (including having a higher number of sexual partners, having a sexual partner 5+ years older, and anal sex). Physical and emotional abuse were associated with having unprotected sex while under the influence of drugs/alcohol.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Reporting a history of maltreatment was associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in risky sexual and antisocial behaviors, as well as depression in inner-city female youth. These data highlight the broad, lingering repercussions of all types of child maltreatment.

Alcohol Use and Sexual Risk Behaviors among Adolescents with Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Adolescents with psychiatric disorders appear to be at increased risk for acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted infections; however, little is known about the prevalence of behavioral risk factors in this population. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the prevalence of alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors among adolescents with psychiatric disorders. Electronic database searches identified studies sampling adolescents diagnosed with psychiatric disorders and assessing both alcohol and sexual risk behaviors. Fourteen studies sampling 3,029 adolescents with psychiatric disorders were included. The majority of adolescents with psychiatric disorders report alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors. Risk reduction interventions targeting these two behaviors are needed.

Do behavioral scientists really understand HIV-related sexual risk behavior? A systematic review of longitudinal and experimental studies predicting sexual behavior

Behavioral interventions to reduce sexual risk behavior depend on strong health behavior theory. By identifying the psychosocial variables that lead causally to sexual risk, theories provide interventionists with a guide for how to change behavior. However, empirical research is critical to determining whether a particular theory adequately explains sexual risk behavior. A large body of cross-sectional evidence, which has been reviewed elsewhere, supports the notion that certain theory-based constructs (e.g., self-efficacy) are correlates of sexual behavior. However, given the limitations of inferring causality from correlational research, it is essential that we review the evidence from more methodologically rigorous studies (i.e., longitudinal and experimental designs). This systematic review identified 44 longitudinal studies in which investigators attempted to predict sexual risk from psychosocial variables over time. We also found 134 experimental studies (i.e., randomized controlled trials of HIV interventions), but of these only 9 (6.7 %) report the results of mediation analyses that might provide evidence for the validity of health behavior theories in predicting sexual behavior. Results show little convergent support across both types of studies for most traditional, theoretical predictors of sexual behavior. This suggests that the field must expand the body of empirical work that utilizes the most rigorous study designs to test our theoretical assumptions. The inconsistent results of existing research would indicate that current theoretical models of sexual risk behavior are inadequate, and may require expansion or adaptation.