Trajectories of childhood sexual abuse and early adolescent HIV/AIDS risk behaviors: the role of other maltreatment, witnessed violence, and child gender

J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol. 2010;39(5):667-80. doi: 10.1080/15374416.2010.501286.

Abstract

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has been associated with HIV/AIDS risk behavior; however, much of this work is retrospective and focuses on women. The current study used semi-parametric mixture modeling with youth (n = 844; 48.8% boys) from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) to examine the link between trajectories of CSA (2 to 12 years old) and HIV/AIDS risk behavior at age 14 (i.e., sexual intercourse & alcohol use). Trajectory analyses revealed a link between a history of CSA and the development of risky behavior. In addition, trajectories for physical and emotional abuse, but not neglect or witnessed violence, contributed to risky behavior over and above the role of CSA. Child gender did not moderate the findings. Findings highlight the significance of CSA histories, as well as the broader context of maltreatment, for better understanding the development of risk behaviors in both girls and boys.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / epidemiology
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / psychology*
  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Behavior / psychology
  • Child Abuse / psychology
  • Child Abuse / statistics & numerical data
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / psychology*
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / statistics & numerical data
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • North Carolina / epidemiology
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk-Taking*
  • Sex Distribution
  • Violence / psychology*
  • Violence / statistics & numerical data