Citation

Noll JG, Guastaferro K, Beal SJ, Schreier HMC, Barnes J, Reader JM, Font SA. J. Res. Adolesc. 2018; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

The Pennsylvania State University.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/jora.12436

PMID

30019514

Abstract

This study tested sexual abuse as a unique predictor of subsequent adolescent sexual behaviors, pregnancy, and motherhood when in company with other types of maltreatment (physical abuse, neglect) and alternative behavioral, family, and contextual risk factors in a prospective, longitudinal study of maltreated (n = 275) and comparison (n = 239) nulliparous females aged 14-19 years old assessed annually through 19 years old. Hierarchical regression was used to disentangle risk factors that account for the associations of maltreatment type on risky sexual behaviors at 19 years old, adolescent pregnancy, and adolescent motherhood.

FINDINGS indicate that sexual and physical abuse remain significant predictors of risky sexual behaviors, and that sexual abuse remains a significant predictor of adolescent motherhood when alternative explanatory variables are controlled.

© 2018 Society for Research on Adolescence.

Language: en