NCJ Number
171527
Journal
American Journal of Orthopsychiatry Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Dated: (July 1996) Pages: 390-400
Date Published
1996
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study of runaway adolescents examines relationships between sexual abuse and sexual risk, substance use, emotional distress, and conduct problems.
Abstract
Among the 190 runaways who were studied, those who had been abused were significantly more likely to engage in unprotected sex, have more sexual partners, and use alcohol and drugs, but did not differ in emotional distress. Those abused after age 13 were more often engaged in sex work than nonabused peers. Males abused before age 13 had more sexual partners than those not abused, and runaway males were significantly more likely to have been sexually abused than has been reported in prior research. Runaways of African-American or Hispanic backgrounds reported less sexual abuse than did runaways of white or other ethnic backgrounds. A history of sexual abuse did not distinguish the youths on measures of anxiety, depression, or conduct problems, but was significantly associated with self-esteem, was a risk factor for adolescent HIV infection, and was clearly associated with later sexual and substance-abuse risk behavior. Note, table, references