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. 2014 Jul;55(1):100-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2013.11.009. Epub 2014 Feb 16.

Developmental trajectories of substance use among sexual minority girls: associations with sexual victimization and sexual health risk

Assaf Oshri  1 , Elizabeth D Handley  2 , Tara E Sutton  3 , Sanne Wortel  4 , Mandi L Burnette  5
Affiliations

Developmental trajectories of substance use among sexual minority girls: associations with sexual victimization and sexual health risk

Assaf Oshri et al. J Adolesc Health. 2014 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: To examine mechanisms underlying the development of sexual health risk behaviors in sexual minority girls (SMGs) and its association with sexual victimization.

Methods: Data were drawn from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods cohorts, aged 15 and 18 years (N = 391; 54 SMGs).

Results: Sexual minority girls reported more sexual victimization and steeper positive trajectories of substance misuse over time than heterosexual girls. Growth in alcohol use during adolescence mediated the link between SMG status and past year number of partners, whereas growth in marijuana use mediated the link between SMG status and self-reported sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Adding unwanted sexual experiences to the models resulted in a reduction of significance in the direct or indirect effects from SMG status on the sexual health outcomes. Unwanted sexual experiences emerged as a robust predictor directly and indirectly related to past-year number of partners via growth in alcohol use. Unwanted sexual experiences also directly predicted STD history.

Conclusions: The increased risk of SMGs for alcohol and marijuana during adolescence, higher rates of sexual partners, and STD diagnosis may also be linked to their significant risk for sexual victimization. Findings highlight the importance of preventive interventions targeting victimization of SMGs.

Keywords: Health risk behavior; Human immunodeficiency virus risk; Sexual minority girls; Sexual victimization.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Within Group Percentage of Unwanted Sexual Experiences by Sexual Orientation Note: Statistics presented in results section. SMGs reported significantly more of each type of unwanted sexual experience, p<.05. See pg. 9 for complete item description.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Simple Slopes for Alcohol and Cannabis Use by SMG Status. Note. Past 30 days alcohol intoxication and cannabis use.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Model Results for Number of Past Year Partners (Model A) and STD history (Model B). Note. Only significant paths are displayed. †Number of days alcohol was misused in the past month; ††Number of days marijuana was misused in the past month. Model fit statistics and results are presented in page 8–11.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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