NCJ Number
203489
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: 2003 Pages: 17-37
Editor(s)
Robert Geffner Ph.D.
Date Published
2003
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This study assessed the prevalence of sexual abuse, including multiple victimizations, among adolescents and examined associations among history of sexual abuse, disordered eating behaviors, and psychological health.
Abstract
In the United States, prevalence rates for childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is estimated to be approximately 27 percent for girls and 16 percent for boys. Research in this area has addressed the association between CSA and compromised psychological health. In addition, studies have shown that youth who experience multiple forms of abuse (combinations of physical abuse, psychological abuse, and sexual abuse) showed increased rates of disordered eating behaviors and suicide attempts. This study expands upon the CSA literature by using a large sample of both boys and girls and a survey that assesses various forms of sexual abuse to answer two questions. What is the prevalence of different forms of sexual abuse and multiple sexual victimizations among adolescent boys and girls? What is the association between sexual abuse and disordered eating behaviors, self-esteem, emotional well-being, and suicidal thoughts and attempts? The sample included 81,247 students (40,946 girls and 40,301 boys) in 9th and 12th grades in Minnesota public schools. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires. The self-report measures included items assessing sexual abuse by a date, by an adult outside of the family, and by a family member. Questions measuring disordered eating behaviors and psychological health indicators such as self-esteem, emotional well-being, and suicide were also included. Results of the study found that sexual abuse was reported by 14.7 percent of the girls and 6.2 percent of the boys. Differences in the rates of sexual abuse were noted across grades and race. Significant associations were found between sexual abuse and unhealthy eating behaviors, suicidal thoughts and attempts, and lower emotional well-being and self-esteem. Students who reported a single or multiple forms of sexual abuse were more likely than their non-abused peers to binge-eat, fast, use diet pills or laxatives, vomit, and have suicidal thoughts/attempts. Both boys and girls reporting multiple sexual victimizations had the highest odds ratios for disordered eating behaviors. This study found that gender differences typically seen among eating disorders disappeared when the association between sexual abuse and disordered eating behaviors was investigated. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed, as are the strengths and limitations of the current study. 6 tables and 37 references