Work

Adolescent Girls’ Offending and Health-Risking Sexual Behavior: The Predictive Role of Trauma

Year: 2006

Type: article

Abstract: Several studies have highlighted high levels of risk for girls who have been exposed to traumatic experiences, but little is known about the exact relationship between traumatic experiences and problems with delinquency and health-risking sexual behavior (e.g., precipitory and/or exacerbatory roles). However, numerous short- and long-term detrimental effects have been linked to trauma, delinquency, and health-risking sexual behavior. The utility of diagnostic and experiential trauma measures in predicting the greatest risk for poor outcomes for delinquent girls was examined in this study. Results indicate that the experiential measures of trauma (cumulative and composite trauma scores) significantly predicted adolescent offending and adolescent health-risking sexual behavior, whereas the diagnostic measures of trauma (full and partial diagnostic criteria) did not.

Source: Child Maltreatment

DOI: 10.1177/1077559506291950

Authors: Dana K. Smith, Leslie D. Leve, Patricia Chamberlain

Institution: Oregon Social Learning Center

Language: English

Topic: Child Abuse and Trauma

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse