Effects of Adversity on Sexuality in Emerging Adulthood

Abstract

Adverse experiences in childhood include negative events directed toward the child, including abuse, mistreatment, or neglect, as well as indirect events such as family conflict, parental distress, and community disadvantage. All these events can disrupt normative development and may lead to maladaptive sexual outcomes in emerging adulthood. This chapter explores the links between experiences of childhood adversity and maladaptive sexual outcomes in emerging adulthood, including engagement in high-risk sexual activities and negative sexual health outcomes. Underlying processes that have been theorized to account for these effects are discussed, especially the role of cumulative stress and emotion dysregulation. The implications of the research findings for promoting sexual health are considered, and future research directions are proposed.