Health Risk Behavior and Sexual Assault Among Ethnically Diverse Women

Abstract

Sexual assault is associated with a number of health risk behaviors in women. It has been hypothesized that these risk behaviors, such as hazardous drinking, may represent women's attempts to cope with psychological distress, such as symptoms of depression and anxiety. However, extant research has failed to evaluate these relationships among ethnic minority samples or identify the mechanisms responsible for this association. The current study examined sexual assault history and two health risk behaviors (hazardous drinking and engaging in sexual behavior to regulate negative affect) in a diverse sample of 1,620 college women. Depression and anxiety were examined as mediators of the relationship between sexual assault and health risk behaviors. There was evidence of moderated mediation, such that for European American women, but not for ethnic minority women, both forms of psychological distress were significant mediators of the sexual assault/hazardous drinking relationship. In contrast, among all ethnic groups, the relationship between sexual assault and both forms of psychological distress was mediated by the use of sexual behavior as an affect regulation strategy. Results support a need to evaluate the assault experiences of ethnically diverse women, as well as the impact of the assault on their postassault experiences including health risk behaviors and psychological adjustment. Additionally, results suggest that practitioners should carefully assess health risk behaviors among victims of sexual assault and be aware that there may be differences in the risk factors and motives for these behaviors among women of various ethnic backgrounds.

Pathways from childhood abuse to prospective revictimization: Depression, sex to reduce negative affect, and forecasted sexual behavior

“…Several previous studies have observed the mediating role of depression and anxiety on the relationship between childhood abuse, risky sexual behavior, and revictimization (Gidycz et al, 1993; Littleton et al, 2013; Orcutt et al, 2005). Much of the revictimization literature has focused on the mediating role of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in the path from childhood abuse to ASA (e.g., Fortier et al, 2009; Risser, Hetzel-Riggen, Thomsen, & McCanne, 2006).…”

“…Other researchers have examined the impact of varied distress symptoms on sex-related coping and revictimization risk. Specifically, Littleton et al (2013) found that symptoms of depression and anxiety mediated the relation between sexual assault history and use of SRNA among a sample of ethnically diverse college women. Similarly, Orcutt et al (2005) found that psychological distress (i.e., depression, anxiety, and hostility) and use of SRNA partially mediated the relation between CSA and prospective ASA in a sample of community women.…”

“…Indeed, individuals with a history of CSA report having more sexual partners, as well as more casual, non-monogamous sexual experiences relative to those without a CSA history (Briere & Elliott, 2003; Senn et al, 2007; Wilson, Asbridge, Kisely, & Langille, 2010). A dominant hypothesis is that sexual activity and risky sexual behavior represent strategies for coping with psychological distress, including distress associated with prior traumatic experiences (Briere & Elliott, 2003; Littleton, Grills-Taquechel, Buck, Rosman, & Dodd, 2013). Individuals may be motivated to engage in sexual intercourse for non-sexual goals, such as the enhancement of positive affect or reduction of negative affect (Briere & Elliott, 2003; Cooper, Agocha, & Sheldon, 2000; Cooper et al, 1998).…”

Predicting Risky Sexual Behavior in Emerging Adulthood: Examination of a Moderated Mediation Model Among Child Sexual Abuse and Adult Sexual Assault Victims

“…There is also evidence that a history of CSA may be associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in sexual risk behavior in adulthood (Meston, Heiman, & Trapnell, 1999;Parillo, Freeman, Collier, & Young, 2001;Testa, VanZile-Tamson, & Livingston, 2005;Van Bruggen, Runtz, & Kadlec, 2006). However, it should be noted that this relationship has not always been found (e.g., Hamburger et al, 2004;Littleton, Radecki Breitkopf, & Berenson, 2007;van Roode et al, 2009;Watson, Matheny, Gagne, Brack, & Ancis, 2013). Overall, the literature supports that having a CSA history is associated with engaging in sexual risk behavior during adolescence and may also be associated with the persistence of sexual risk behavior into adulthood.…”

Insecure Parental Attachment and Permissiveness

“…There have also been limited studies that show how sexual attitudes affect unwanted sex from an attachment perspective (Feeney & Noller, 2004;Sprecher, 2013). According to Littleton, Grills-Taquechel, Buck, Rosman, and Dodd (2013), casual sexual interactions that involve more sexual partners may increase risk of sexual assault because of the increased ''likelihood of encountering a sexually assaultive partner'' (p. 8). As well, in many of the existing studies focused on attachment and unwanted sex, the participants were all female.…”