The Link Between ADHD and the Risk of Sexual Victimization Among College Women

Abstract

Using data from a nationally representative sample of college women, the current study examines attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a potential risk factor in the prediction of sexual victimization among college women and as an extension of the lifestyles/routine activities framework. The findings indicate that college women with ADHD experienced sexual victimization at significantly higher rates than college women without ADHD. Furthermore, ADHD emerged as a significant predictor of sexual victimization across models. The lifestyles/routine activities theory also received general support, particularly for the concepts of exposure, proximity, and guardianship. This research suggests that other risk factors outside the lifestyles/routine activities framework are important in the prediction of sexual victimization in college women.

Alcohol Use, Mental Health Disability, and Violence Victimization in College Women: Exploring Connections

“…Future studies that include students with other disabilities will add to our understanding of how disability intersects with alcohol use and violence victimization. Second, we did not use diagnostic tools to assess disability; rather, we used selfreported disability, an approach that has been used in many prior studies (American College Health Association, 2016;Hossain et al, 2014;Scherer et al, 2013Scherer et al, , 2016aSnyder, 2015). To provide expanded clarity in the relationships between disability, alcohol, and IPV/SV, future studies might consider using a diagnostic interview to assess disability.…”

“…College women with a mental health disability (e.g., depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD]) are at elevated risk of sexual violence (SV) and intimate partner violence (IPV), with serious health consequences (Bonomi, Nichols, Kammes, & Green, 2018; Hossain, Memiah, & Adeyinka, 2014; Scherer, Snyder, & Fisher, 2013, 2016a; Snyder, 2015). Hossain et al used the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) data to show that having a depression diagnosis increased college women’s risk of SV (odds ratio [OR] = 1.56), even after controlling for other risk behaviors (Hossain et al, 2014).…”

“…Hossain et al used the National College Health Assessment (NCHA) data to show that having a depression diagnosis increased college women’s risk of SV (odds ratio [OR] = 1.56), even after controlling for other risk behaviors (Hossain et al, 2014). Snyder (2015) demonstrated that, in the NCHA data, having an ADHD diagnosis significantly increased the odds for SV in college women, in particular, rape (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.85) and unwanted sexual touching (AOR = 1.41).…”

Childhood neurodevelopmental disorders and risk of coercive sexual victimization in childhood and adolescence – a population‐based prospective twin study

“…Different psychiatric disorders and physical disabilities among children and adolescents have been associated with an increased risk of sexual victimization (Jones et al, 2012). Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Attentiondeficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and other related neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) might potentially elevate the risk of being sexually abused (Sevlever, Roth, & Gillis, 2013;Snyder, 2015).…”

ADHD Is Associated with a Higher Risk for Traumatic Events, Self-Reported PTSD, and a Higher Severity of PTSD Symptoms in Alcohol-Dependent Patients

“…The hypothesis that ADHD symptoms lead to an increased risk for potentially dangerous situations is supported by a study on over 14,000 female students. Here, those with ADHD had a significantly higher rate of unwanted sexual contacts and rape, and the risk for PTEs was increased by concomitant alcohol and drug use [33]. Also, other studies that did not specifically address ADHD identified alcohol use as a risk factor for sexual victimization [34][35][36].…”