title: Sexual and physical abuse among incarcerated youth: implications for sexual behavior, contraceptive use, and teenage pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the present study, physical and sexual abuse among incarcerated youth were examined with respect to sexual activity, contraceptive use, and pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The self-report survey data were collected from 62 females and 334 males who were incarcerated in Nevada youth correctional facilities in the summer of 1994. Of the males, 46.8% (n = 156) reported a history of physical abuse and 9.9% (n = 33) reported sexual abuse. A surprisingly high 73% (n = 46) of the females reported a history of physical abuse and 68.3% (n = 43) reported sexual abuse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analyses indicated that females who reported a history of sexual abuse had an earlier mean age of first intercourse than those who reported no sexual abuse. In addition, male and female respondents with a history of physical and/or sexual abuse reported using no method of contraception as compared to youth with no history of abuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Implications of these results for detention-based counseling and prevention programming are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Nevada at Reno, USA.
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003268:Contraception Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009505:Nevada; D011247:Pregnancy; D011253:Pregnancy in Adolescence / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011329:Prisoners / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*