Sexual Abuse as a Factor in Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Maltreatment

Boyer, Debra; Fine, David

doi:10.2307/2135718

Cited by 330 publications

(193 citation statements)

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“…Finally, adolescent mothers are also more likely than older mothers from the same backgrounds to have a history of aggressive and delinquent behaviors (Miller-Johnson et al, 1999;Woodward, Fergusson, & Horwood, 2001) and are more likely to have had mental health problems (Deal & Holt, 1998;Horwitz, Klerman, Kuo, & Jekel, 1991) or exposure to childhood maltreatment (Boyer & Fine, 1992;Smith, 1996). Adolescents are still maturing themselves, and some aspects of adolescent brain maturation and cognitive development appear to be independent of pubertal processes and continue long after puberty is over (Dahl, 2004).…”

Section: Introduction: Early Language and Emerging Literacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Preschool language development among children of adolescent mothers

Oxford

Spieker

2006

Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

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This longitudinal study examined a comprehensive set of predictors of preschool language performance in a sample of children of adolescent mothers. Six domains of risk (low maternal verbal ability, intergenerational risk, contextual risk, relational risk, home environmental risk, and child characteristics) for poor preschool language development, measured throughout early childhood, were examined in a sample of 154 children born to adolescent mothers. Logistic regression revealed that having a poor language-learning home environment was associated with children's low language scores even after accounting for mothers' below-average verbal ability. More importantly, however, was the exploration of the 'dual risk' hypothesis that evaluated the effects of combined risk factors. Being reared by a mother with low verbal ability amplified the risk of a poor quality home linguistic environment, whereas having a poor home linguistic environment did not adversely affect the language development of children with mothers of average verbal ability. Implications for intervention are discussed with regard to specificity of intervention efforts within subpopulations of risk identified in this paper.

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Section: Introduction: Early Language and Emerging Literacymentioning

confidence: 99%

Preschool language development among children of adolescent mothers

Oxford

Spieker

2006

Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology

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“…Although poverty 2 and childhood physical [3][4][5][6][7] and sexual [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] abuse have been associated with an increased risk of pregnancy among adolescent girls, risk factors for male involvement in teen pregnancy have not been widely investigated. Elevated rates of academic and conduct problems, substance abuse, 9,10 previous forced sexual contact, 11 and a greater number of sexual partners 12 have been reported among teenage fathers, which may be symptoms of childhood exposure to abuse and domestic violence.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Abused Boys, Battered Mothers, and Male Involvement in Teen Pregnancy

et al. 2001

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ABSTRACT. Background. The relationship between boyhood exposure to physical abuse, sexual abuse, or to a battered mother and subsequent risk of impregnating a teenage girl has not previously been examined.Methods. In a retrospective cohort study set in a primary care clinic for adult members of a large health maintenance organization, questionnaire responses from 4127 men were analyzed. Respondents provided the age of the youngest female whom they had impregnated, their own ages at the time, and information regarding childhood exposure to physical or sexual abuse and battered mothers. We calculated the prevalence and adjusted odds ratio (OR) for having impregnated a teenage girl according to these 3 adverse childhood experiences, regardless of the male's age at the time of impregnation. Using logistic regression, ORs were adjusted for the male's age at time of survey, race, and education.Results. Nineteen percent of the men reported that they had ever impregnated a teenage girl. During childhood, 32% of respondents had been physically abused, 15% sexually abused, and 11% had battered mothers. Compared with respondents reporting no abuse, frequent physical abuse or battering of mothers increased the risk of involvement in teen pregnancy by 70% (OR: 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.5) and 140% (OR: 2.4; 95% CI: 1.1-5.0), respectively. Sexual abuse as a boy at age 10 years or younger increased the risk of impregnating a teenage girl by 80% (OR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.3-2.4); sexual abuse with violence increased the risk by 110% (OR: 2.1; 95% CI: 1.2-3.4). We found a dose-response relationship between the number of types of exposures and the risk of impregnating a teenage girl; men who reported all 3 types of exposures were more than twice as likely to have been involved than those with no exposures (OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.4 -3.5).Conclusions. Boyhood exposure to physical or sexual abuse or to a battered mother is associated with an increased risk of involvement in a teen pregnancy-during both adolescence and adulthood. Because these exposures are common and interrelated, boys and adult men who have had these experiences should be identified via routine screening by pediatricians and other health care providers and counseled about sexual practices and contraception. Such efforts may prevent teen pregnancy and the intergenerational transmission of child abuse and domestic violence. Pediatrics 2001;107(2). URL: http:// www.pediatrics.org/cgi/content/full/107/2/e19; adolescent pregnancy, child abuse, domestic violence.ABBREVIATIONS. ACE, adverse childhood experience; OR, odds ratio; CI, confidence interval; AAP, American Academy of Pediatrics. With an estimated 500 000 teenagers giving birth annually in the United States, 1 assessment of risk factors for teen pregnancy assumes an important role in the practice of pediatrics. Although poverty 2 and childhood physical 3-7 and sexual 1-8 abuse have been associated with an increased risk of pregnancy among adolescent girls, risk factors for male involvement in teen pregnancy h...

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“…Only 28 percent of the victimized teens used birth control at first intercourse compared to 49 percent of their non-victimized peers (Boyer & Fine, 1992). Another U.S. study confirmed that women survivors of childhood sexual abuse are nearly three times more likely than non-victimized youth to become pregnant before the age of 18 (Zierler et al, 1991).…”

Section: Implications For International Developmentmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Through its impact on future sexual and drug using behavior, sexual abuse in childhood also appears to increase an individual's risk of contracting STDs and HIV in adulthood (Boyer & Fine, 1992;Zierler et al, 1991;Finkelhor, 1987;Cassese, 1993;Paone & Chavkin, 1993). In one study of 407 randomly selected men and women on the island of Barbados, sexual abuse in childhood emerged as the single most important determinant of high risk sexual activity during adolescence for both women and men (Handwerker, 1993).…”

Section: Implications For International Developmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender-based abuse: the global epidemic

Heise¹

1994

Cad. Saúde Pública

112

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HEISE, L. Gender-based Abuse: The Global Epidemic. Cad. Saúde Públ., Rio de Janeiro, 10 (supplement 1): [135][136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145] 1994. Gender Based violence-including rape, domestic violence, murder and sexual abuse-is a profund health problem for women across the globe. Although a significant cause of female morbidity and mortality, violence against women has only recently begun to be recognized as an issue for public health. This paper draws together existing data on the dimensions of violence against women worldwide and reviews available literature on the health consequences of abuse. It argues that the health sector has an important role to play in combatting violence against women through increased research, screening and referral of victims, and behavioral interventions. Any strategy to confrnt violence must address the root causes of abuse in addition to meeting the immediate needs of victims. This means challenging the social attitudes and beliefs that undergird men's violence and renegotiating the balance of power between women and men at all levels of society.

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Sexual Abuse as a Factor in Adolescent Pregnancy and Child Maltreatment

Cited by 330 publications

References 15 publications

Preschool language development among children of adolescent mothers

Preschool language development among children of adolescent mothers

Abused Boys, Battered Mothers, and Male Involvement in Teen Pregnancy

Gender-based abuse: the global epidemic

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