Citation

Elkington KS, Belmonte K, Latack JA, Mellins CA, Wasserman GA, Donenberg GR, Hirsch JS. J. Res. Adolesc. 2015; 25(4): 700-716.

Affiliation

Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jora.12163

PMID

26539022

Abstract

Using in-depth interviews with 20 probation youth (60% female; 35% white; 30% Hispanic; mean age 15years, range=13-17), their caregivers (100% female; mean age 44years, range=34-71) and 12 female probation officers (100% white; mean age 46years, range=34-57), we explored how family and probation systems exacerbate or mitigate sexual risk. We conducted thematic analyses of interviews, comparing narratives of families of sexually risky (n=9) versus non-sexually risky (n=11) youth. Family functioning differed by youth sexual risk behavior around quality of relationships, communication, and limit-setting and monitoring. The involvement of families of sexually risky youth in probation positively influenced family functioning. Data suggest these families are amenable to intervention and may benefit from family-based HIV/STI interventions delivered in tandem with probation.

Language: en