Childhood sexual abuse and supportive factors

Relationship Between Sexual Abuse and Substance Use Among Students from Caribbean Colombian

Sexual abuse is a public health problem due to its negative impact on physical and mental health. This study aimed to determine the association between sexual abuse and the use of psychoactive substances among high-school adolescents in Colombia. A cross-sectional analytical study was designed in which tenth and eleventh-grade students were included. Overall, a history of sexual abuse was explored with the Trauma Symptom Checklist, and lifetime substance use was assessed with the United States Centers for Disease Control Youth Risk Behavior Questionnaire. The prevalence of sexual abuse was 17.4%, lifetime alcohol use was 77.4%, cigarette 22.4%, cannabis 11.6%, cocaine 2.7%, and other substances 5.1%. History of sexual abuse was associated with alcohol use (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.10-2.30), cigarette (OR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.51-2.85), cannabis (OR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.66-3.56), cocaine (OR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.25-5.04) and use of other substances (OR = 2.33, 95% CI 1.31-4.13). The history of sexual abuse is related to the use of substances in high school adolescents in the Caribbean Region of Colombia. More studies are needed to identify the impact of sexual abuse on short-term and lifelong mental health.

Stories of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) among older adults living with HIV (OALH) in South Carolina: a qualitative study

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) devastatingly impacts an individual's behavioral, psychological, and social health. Childhood, a developmental stage directly influenced by the home or school environment, leaves a life-long imprint. Compared with the general population, CSA prevalence is doubled among people living with HIV. Thus, the study aimed to explore CSA circumstances among older adults living with HIV (OALH) in South Carolina (SC). We included 24 OALH aged 50 and above who reported CSA. The data were collected at an immunology center in SC. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. The iterative analytic process included a discussion of initial thoughts and key concepts, identification, and reconciliation of codes, and naming of emergent themes. Six themes emerged: known perpetrators, re-victimization, "nobody believed me", "cannot live like others", lack of CSA disclosure, and interconnections with other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). CSA experiences and non-disclosure were found to be linked with shame, embarrassment, fear, and trust issues. Hence, trauma-focused interventions are required to resolve these issues and improve the quality of life of OALH with past trauma. Counseling or therapy programs should incorporate psychological and behavioral theoretical models to best target OALH who are CSA survivors.

Exploring the long-term sequelae of childhood sexual abuse on risky sexual behavior among Chinese transgender women

Introduction

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a hidden but serious public health issue that can lead to a series of behavioral consequences and health problems in adulthood. It has been well documented that transgender women (TGW) have a high prevalence of CSA victimization. Moreover, risky sexual behaviors are also widespread among TGW; nevertheless, research investigating the associations between CSA victimization and risky sexual behaviors in TGW represents a gap in the literature.

Methods

Our research was carried out mainly in Shenyang of China from November 2018 to January 2019. Sociodemographic characteristics, as well as information on participants' HIV awareness and sexual behaviors, were collected through face-to-face interviews. The impact of CSA was examined through hierarchical logistic regression, adjusted for sociodemographic factors and HIV awareness.

Results

In the sample of 247 adult TGW, 14.2% of them had a CSA history. In the previous 6 months, 30.8% of the participants reported condomless anal intercourse (CAI) and 38.5% of them had multiple sexual partners (MSP). The findings demonstrated that TGW with CSA history were more likely to take part in CAI (p = 0.001, OR = 4.252) or have MSP (p = 0.004, OR = 3.260) in adulthood. Furthermore, HIV knowledge was not a predictor of CAI or MSP, but higher HIV risk perception was associated with a greater probability of CAI.

Conclusion

Transgender women with a history of CSA were more prone to engage in CAI and have MSP in China.

Sex and Urban–Rural Differences in the Relationship between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Mental Health among Chinese College Students

This study aimed to reveal sex and urban–rural differences in the association between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and mental health among Chinese college students. The study used data from the “National College Student Survey on Sexual and Reproductive Health 2019”, a cross-sectional study conducted in all 31 provinces of mainland China. Weighted logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the association between CSA (noncontact CSA, contact CSA, and penetrative CSA) and mental health (suicide attempts and mental disorders). Among 49,728 students, 39.42% of the male participants and 43.55% of the female participants had ever experienced CSA. According to the OR results of logistic regression analysis, compared to females, males in the contact CSA group (AOR: 3.49, 95% CI: 1.95–6.23) and the penetrative CSA group (AOR: 8.79, 95% CI: 3.15–24.52) had higher odds of suicide attempts. Participants from rural and suburban areas that were categorized in the penetrative CSA group were more likely to report suicide attempts (rural: AOR: 4.01, 95% CI: 1.51–10.62, suburban AOR: 4.86, 95% CI: 2.52–9.36) and mental disorders (rural: AOR: 4.01, 95% CI: 1.51–10.62, suburban: AOR: 4.86, 95% CI: 2.52–9.36). In conclusion, the findings revealed a high prevalence of CSA in both sexes and reported that males are more vulnerable to the adverse effects of CSA. In addition, we also found that undergraduates growing up in rural and suburban areas are more vulnerable to the adverse psychological effects of CSA. Policymakers should pay more attention to this vulnerable population and implement effective measures to alleviate mental trauma.

Association between schizoid tendencies and aggressive behaviors: mediating and moderating influences in childhood trauma and life events among Chinese adolescents

BACKGROUND

This study investigated an association between schizoid tendencies and aggressive behaviors in Chinese adolescents, and explored the underlying mechanism.

METHODS

The data of 3094 adolescents aged 12 to 16 years were collected from an epidemiological survey in China. All the subjects or their parents completed the Achenbach's Child Behavior Checklist, the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, and the Adolescent Self-rating Life Event Checklist (ASLEC).

RESULTS

Relative to the non-schizoid group, adolescents with schizoid tendencies (male or female) showed significantly higher scores for aggressive behaviors, emotional abuse, and ASLEC. Regarding females only, those with schizoid tendencies had significantly higher (lower) scores for physical abuse and emotional neglect (physical neglect). The aggressive behaviors score was predicted by scores for schizoid tendencies (β_male = 0.620, β_female = 0.638, both P < 0.001) and ASLEC (β_male = 0.125, β_female = 0.061, both P < 0.01), and by childhood trauma score (males: emotional neglect [β = 0.045, P = 0.021]; females: emotional abuse and sexual abuse [β = 0.118 and - 0.062, both P < 0.01]). The ASLEC and childhood trauma scores mediated the association between scores for schizoid tendencies and aggressive behaviors, specifically, emotional neglect (emotional abuse and sexual abuse) in males (females). In females, the interaction between scores for childhood trauma and ASLEC affected the aggressive behaviors score (P = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

Schizoid tendencies are associated with aggressive behaviors among Chinese adolescents. Recent life events and childhood trauma mediated an association between schizoid tendencies and aggressive behaviors. The interaction between childhood trauma and recent life events affected aggressive behaviors in females. Aggressive behaviors in adolescents may be ameliorated by reducing childhood trauma and life events.

Factors associated with suicide: Case-control study in South Tyrol

BACKGROUND

As suicide is related to many factors in addition to psychiatric illness, broad and comprehensive risk-assessment for risk of suicide is required. This study aimed to differentiate nondiagnostic risk factors among suicides versus comparable psychiatric patients without suicidal behavior.

METHODS

We carried out a pilot, case-control comparison of 131 cases of suicide in South Tyrol matched for age and sex with 131 psychiatric controls, using psychological autopsy methods to evaluate differences in clinically assessed demographic, social, and clinical factors, using bivariate conditional Odds Risk comparisons followed by conditional regression modeling controlled for ethnicity.

RESULTS

Based on multivariable conditional regression modeling, suicides were significantly more likely to have experienced risk factors, ranking as: [a] family history of suicide or attempt≥[b] recent interpersonal stressors≥[c] childhood traumatic events≥[d] lack of recent clinician contacts≥[e] previous suicide attempt≥[f] non-Italian ethnicity, but did not differ in education, marital status, living situation, or employment, nor by psychiatric or substance-abuse diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

Both recent and early factors were associated with suicide, including lack of recent clinical care, non-Italian cultural subgroup-membership, familial suicidal behavior, and recent interpersonal distress.