TY - JOUR
T1 - Sensation seeking and risk-taking propensity as mediators in the relationship between childhood abuse and HIV-related risk behavior
AU - Bornovalova, Marina A.
AU - Gwadz, Marya A.
AU - Kahler, Christopher
AU - Aklin, W. M.
AU - Lejuez, C. W.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by National Institute of Drug Abuse Grants F31DA018506 and R21DA014699 awarded to the first and last author and National Institute of Mental Health Grant F31MH068894 awarded to the fourth author.
PY - 2008/1
Y1 - 2008/1
N2 - Objectives: Although a wealth of literature suggests that childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse are related to later-life HIV-related risk behaviors, few studies have explored disinhibition (e.g., impulsivity, risk-taking propensity, and sensation-seeking) as a risk factor in this relationship. Method: This cross-sectional study examined impulsivity, risk-taking propensity, and sensation seeking as mediators in the relationship between abuse history and engagement in HIV-related risk behaviors among a sample of 96 inner-city African American adolescents. Results: Findings indicated that abuse history was positively related to self-reported engagement in HIV-related risk behaviors (B = .027, SE .008, β = .32, sr2 = .105, p = .001), as well as risk-taking propensity (B = .35, SE .11, β = .30, sr2 = .090, p = .003) and sensation seeking (B = .17, SE .05, β = .35, sr2 = .124, p = .0004). Abuse history was not related to impulsivity. Further, while sensation-seeking and risk-taking propensity (to a lesser extent) mediated this relationship, impulsivity did not. Conclusions: These findings provide an initial step in the examination of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between childhood abuse and engagement in HIV-related risk behaviors.
AB - Objectives: Although a wealth of literature suggests that childhood physical, emotional, and sexual abuse are related to later-life HIV-related risk behaviors, few studies have explored disinhibition (e.g., impulsivity, risk-taking propensity, and sensation-seeking) as a risk factor in this relationship. Method: This cross-sectional study examined impulsivity, risk-taking propensity, and sensation seeking as mediators in the relationship between abuse history and engagement in HIV-related risk behaviors among a sample of 96 inner-city African American adolescents. Results: Findings indicated that abuse history was positively related to self-reported engagement in HIV-related risk behaviors (B = .027, SE .008, β = .32, sr2 = .105, p = .001), as well as risk-taking propensity (B = .35, SE .11, β = .30, sr2 = .090, p = .003) and sensation seeking (B = .17, SE .05, β = .35, sr2 = .124, p = .0004). Abuse history was not related to impulsivity. Further, while sensation-seeking and risk-taking propensity (to a lesser extent) mediated this relationship, impulsivity did not. Conclusions: These findings provide an initial step in the examination of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between childhood abuse and engagement in HIV-related risk behaviors.
KW - Adolescents
KW - Assessment
KW - Child abuse
KW - HIV risk behavior
KW - Risk-taking propensity
KW - Sensation seeking
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U2 - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.04.009
DO - 10.1016/j.chiabu.2007.04.009
M3 - Article
C2 - 18155295
AN - SCOPUS:38049034373
SN - 0145-2134
VL - 32
SP - 99
EP - 109
JO - Child Abuse and Neglect
JF - Child Abuse and Neglect
IS - 1
ER -