A Comparison of Two Models of Risky Sexual Behavior During Late Adolescence.
Two models of risky sexual behavior (RSB) were compared in a community sample of late adolescents (N = 223). For the traumagenic model, early negative sexual experiences were posited to lead to an association between negative affect with sexual relationships. For the cognitive escape model, depressive affect was posited to lead to engagement in RSB as a way to avoid negative emotions. The current study examined whether depression explained the relationship between sexual trauma and RSB, supporting the cognitive escape model, or whether it was sexual trauma that led specifically to RSB, supporting the traumagenic model. Physical trauma experiences were also examined to disentangle the effects of sexual trauma compared to other emotionally distressing events. The study examined whether the results would be moderated by participant sex. For males, support was found for the cognitive escape model but not the traumagenic model. Among males, physical trauma and depression predicted engagement in RSB but sexual trauma did not. For females, support was found for the traumagenic and cognitive escape model. Among females, depression and sexual trauma both uniquely predicted RSB. There was an additional suppressor effect of socioeconomic status in predicting RSB among females. Results suggest that the association of trauma type with RSB depends on participant sex. Implications of the current study for RSB prevention efforts are discussed.
Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, California School of Professional Psychology-San Diego, Alliant International University, 10455 Pomerado Road, San Diego, CA, 92116, USA. sbraje@alliant.edu.
Sopagna Eap
SE
Braje
Partners for Our Children, School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.|Oregon Social Learning Center, Eugene, OR, USA.
J Mark
JM
Eddy
Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
Gordon C N
GC
Hall
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012306:Risk; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D014754:Violence / Q000523:psychology*
Adolescents; Depression; Physical trauma; Risky sexual behavior; Sexual trauma