Associations Between Sexual Abuse and Family Conflict/Violence, Self-Injurious Behavior, and Substance Use: The Mediating Role of Depressed Mood and Anger

• NCJ Number: 234530
• Journal: Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 35 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2011 Pages: 210-219
• Author(s): Bryndis Bjork Asgeirsdottir; Inga Dora Sigfusdottir; Gisli H. Gudjonsson; Jon Fridrik Sigurdsson
• Date Published: March 2011
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Based on data obtained from a cross-sectional national survey, this study examined whether depressed mood and anger mediated the effects of sexual abuse and family conflict/violence on self-injurious behavior and substance use.

Abstract

The study found that having experienced sexual abuse and family conflict/violence had direct effects on self-injurious behavior and substance use among both genders, when controlling for age, family structure, parental education, anger, and depressed mood. More importantly, the indirect effects of sexual abuse and family conflict/violence on self-injurious behavior among both males and females were twice as strong when mediated through depressed mood rather than anger; the indirect effects of sexual abuse and family conflict/violence on substance use were only significant when mediate through anger. These findings show that importance of focusing on a range of emotions, including depressed mood and anger, when working with stressed adolescents in prevention and treatment program for self-injurious behavior and substance use. Study data were obtained from a cross-sectional national survey completed by 9,085 16-19-year-old students attending all high schools in Iceland in 2004. Participants reported frequency of sexual abuse, family conflict/violence, self-injurious behavior, substance use, depressed mood, and anger. 3 tables, 1 figure, and 56 references