Citation

Noll JG, Haralson KJ, Butler EM, Shenk CE. J. Pediatr. Psychol. 2011; 36(7): 743-752.

Affiliation

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Oxford University Press)

DOI

10.1093/jpepsy/jsr003

PMID

21335615

PMCID

PMC3146756

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Maltreated female adolescents are at risk for engaging in sexual behaviors consistent with HIV infection and teen pregnancy. The current study applied a model positing the key role of psychological dysregulation in the development of adolescent females' sexual behavior. METHODS: The sample consisted of adolescent females aged 14-17 years who had experienced substantiated childhood maltreatment (n = 275) and a demographically matched, non-maltreated comparison group (n = 210). RESULTS: Multiple mediator analysis revealed that, when in company with a host of plausible mechanisms, sexual preoccupation mediated the relationship between psychological dysregulation and risky sexual behaviors. CONCLUSION: Maltreated females may have difficulty regulating emotions, cognitions, and behaviors, which, when coupled with a propensity to entertain sexual thoughts and consume sexually explicit materials, may increase the likelihood that they act on sexual impulses and engage in high-risk sexual behaviors.

Language: en