Effect of child abuse and neglect on risk behaviors in inner-city minority female adolescents and young adults

Abstract

Background: Over six million children each year are referred to child protective services for child abuse (sexual, physical and emotional) and neglect (physical and emotional).

Objective: While the relationship between child sexual abuse and sexually transmitted infections has been documented, there has been little research regarding the effects of other forms of maltreatment.

Participants and setting: 882 inner-city females aged 12-20 years of age seen at a large adolescent and young adult (AYA) health center in New York City between 2012-2017.

Methods: History of maltreatment was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Associations with depressive symptoms, antisocial behavior, peer deviancy, drug/alcohol use, and risky sexual behaviors were assessed.

Results: History of maltreatment was common in our cohort of inner-city AYA females, with 59.6 % reporting any type of maltreatment, including sexual abuse (17.5 %), physical abuse (19.5 %) or neglect (26.2 %), and emotional abuse (30.7 %) or neglect (40.4 %). We observed significant associations between all forms of maltreatment and risk of depression, drug/alcohol use, antisocial behaviors, peer deviancy, and risky sexual risk behaviors (including having a higher number of sexual partners, having a sexual partner 5+ years older, and anal sex). Physical and emotional abuse were associated with having unprotected sex while under the influence of drugs/alcohol.

Conclusions and relevance: Reporting a history of maltreatment was associated with an increased likelihood of engaging in risky sexual and antisocial behaviors, as well as depression in inner-city female youth. These data highlight the broad, lingering repercussions of all types of child maltreatment.

Keywords: Adolescent health; Alcohol and drug use; Child abuse and neglect; Depression; Risk behaviors.