Sexual abuse, antisocial behaviour and substance use: gender differences in young community adolescents.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate gender-specific relationships between self-reported sexual abuse, antisocial behaviour and substance use in a large community sample of adolescents.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study of students aged, on average, 13 (n = 2596), 14 (n = 2475) and 15 years (n = 2290), from 27 schools in South Australia with a questionnaire including sexual abuse, frequency and severity of substance use, depressive symptomatology (CES-D), family functioning (McMaster Family Assessment Device), and antisocial behaviour (an adapted 22-item Self-Report Delinquency Scale). Logistic regression analyses using HLM V5.05 with a population-average model were conducted.


RESULTS
In the model considered, reported sexual abuse is significantly independently associated with antisocial behaviour, controlling for confounding factors of depressive symptomatology and family dysfunction, with increased risks of three- to eightfold for sexually abused boys, and two- to threefold for sexually abused girls, compared to nonabused. Increased risks of extreme substance use in sexually abused girls (age 13) and boys (ages 13-15) are more than fourfold, compared to nonabused. Age differences were not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Childhood sexual abuse is a risk factor for the development of antisocial behaviour and substance use in young adolescents. Clinicians should be aware of gender differences.
Bergen
Helen A
HA
The University of Queensland, Mental Health Centre, K floor, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Queensland 4029, Australia.
Martin
Graham
G
Richardson
Angela S
AS
Allison
Stephen
S
Roeger
Leigh
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007604:Juvenile Delinquency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*