Julia Kobulsky, Postdoctoral Fellow at SSW and collaborators from the Ohio State University (Susan Yoon) and Case Western Reserve University (Laura Voith) have a new paper published in the Journal of Adolescence.
This paper explores gender differences in the roles of internalizing and externalizing symptoms and substance use as pathways linking child physical and sexual abuse to risky sexual behavior among youth at risk of maltreatment.
Using data from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect, the authors found that physical abuse was directly and positively associated with risky sexual behavior in boys but not girls. Gender differences were also found in the path from marijuana use to risky sexual behavior, with a significant association between these variables found in girls, but not boys. Findings imply the need for gender sensitive intervention strategies.
More details can be found in the following press release: http://thedaily.case.edu/risky-sexual-behavior-stems-physical-abuse-boys-marijuana-use-girls-study/