TY - JOUR PY - 2023// TI - Adverse childhood experiences, acculturation, and risky sexual behaviors in Hispanic young adults: findings from Project RED JO - Journal of sex research A1 - Rahman, Tahsin A1 - Rogers, Christopher J. A1 - Albers, Larisa D. A1 - Forster, Myriam A1 - Unger, Jennifer B. SP - ePub EP - ePub VL - ePub IS - ePub N2 - While adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are well-documented predictors of maladaptive behaviors in adulthood, including risky sexual behaviors (RSB), the influence of acculturation in this association remains unknown. Although Hispanics are a rapidly growing population in the United States and are disproportionately affected by adverse sexual health outcomes, there is a paucity of research examining the interplay of ACE, acculturation, and RSB in this population. We observed the ACE-RSB association and how this relationship varies across U.S. and Hispanic acculturation levels, in a sample of Hispanic young adults (n = 715). Data for this study were from Project RED, a longitudinal study of Hispanic health. We ran regression models to test associations between ACE (0, 1-3, 4+) and several RSB (e.g., early sexual initiation (≤14 years), condomless sex, lifetime sexual partners, and alcohol/drug use before intercourse), and assessed moderation by U.S./Hispanic acculturation. Compared with those without ACE, individuals with 4 + ACE had higher odds of early sexual initiation (AOR: 2.23), alcohol/drug use before last intercourse (AOR: 2.31), and condomless sex (AOR: 1.66), as well as a higher number of lifetime sexual partners (β: 0.60). For those reporting 4 + ACE, high U.S. acculturation was protective in the association between ACE and using alcohol/drugs before intercourse. Future research implications are discussed.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 0022-4499 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224499.2023.2184762 ID - ref1 ER -