Affect regulation and HIV risk among youth in therapeutic schools.
The acquisition of affect regulation skills is often impaired or delayed in youth with mental health problems but the relationship between affect dysregulation and risk behaviors has not been well studied. Baseline data from adolescents (N = 417; ages 13-19) recruited from therapeutic school settings examined the relationship between affect dysregulation, substance use, self-cutting, and sexual risk behavior. Analyses of covariance demonstrated that adolescents who did not use condoms at last sex, ever self-cut, attempted suicide, used alcohol and other drugs and reported less condom use self-efficacy when emotionally aroused were significantly more likely (p < .01) to report greater difficulty with affect regulation than peers who did not exhibit these behaviors. General patterns of difficulty with affect regulation may be linked to HIV risk behavior, including condom use at last sex. HIV prevention strategies for youth in mental health treatment should target affect regulation in relation to multiple risk behaviors.
Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, One Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI, 02903, USA. lkbrown@lifespan.org
Larry K
LK
Brown
Christopher
C
Houck
Celia
C
Lescano
Geri
G
Donenberg
Marina
M
Tolou-Shams
Justin
J
Mello
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000339:Affect; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002641:Chicago; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D012237:Rhode Island; D012309:Risk-Taking; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult