TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2011//
TI  - Childhood Maltreatment, Psychological Dysregulation, and Risky Sexual Behaviors in Female Adolescents
JO  - Journal of pediatric psychology
A1  - Noll, Jennie G.
A1  - Haralson, Katherine J.
A1  - Butler, Erica M.
A1  - Shenk, Chad E.
SP  - 743
EP  - 752
VL  - 36
IS  - 7
N2  - 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.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0146-8693
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsr003
ID  - ref1
ER  -