Childhood Maltreatment, Emotional Distress, and Early Adolescent Sexual Intercourse: Multi-Informant Perspectives on Parental Monitoring

Author
Oberlander, S.E.Wang, Y.
Thompson, R.
Lewis, T.
Proctor, L.J.
Isbell, P.
English, D.J.
Dubowitz, H.
Litrownik, A.J.
Black, M.M.
Date
2011Journal
Journal of Family PsychologyPublisher
American Psychological AssociationType
Article
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This prospective investigation used multi-informant models to examine whether parental monitoring moderated associations between child maltreatment and either emotional distress or sexual intercourse. Data included 637 youth in the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). Child maltreatment was determined by lifetime Child Protective Service records and youth self-report and included sexual, physical, psychological abuse, and neglect (age 12). The moderating variable was youth- and caregiver-reported parental monitoring (age 12). Outcome variables were emotional distress (age 12) and sexual intercourse (age 14). Analyses included multi- and individual-informant models, adjusting for age, ethnicity/race, family income, and study site. Rates of parental monitoring did not differ by gender, but gender-specific analyses found that among girls, but not boys, youth-reported parental monitoring buffered the effect of maltreatment on emotional distress. Subtype analyses found that the buffering effects of monitoring on emotional distress were strongest for sexual and physical abuse and when youth experienced multiple subtypes of maltreatment. Caregiver-reported monitoring was not associated with reduced emotional distress. Youth and caregiver reports of parental monitoring were inversely associated with sexual intercourse, regardless of maltreatment history. Findings suggest that promoting parental monitoring among caregivers, and perceptions of monitoring among youth, may prevent early sexual intercourse regardless of maltreatment history. Promoting parental monitoring among youth with a history of maltreatment, especially girls or those who have experienced sexual or physical abuse or multiple subtypes of abuse, may reduce the likelihood of emotional distress. Copyright 2011 American Psychological Association.Identifier to cite or link to this item
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84255195498&doi=10.1037%2fa0025423&partnerID=40&md5=4416431eb6c4ed6b07503236dffae56b; http://hdl.handle.net/10713/11852ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1037/a0025423
Scopus Count
Collections
Related articles
- Sexual intercourse among adolescents maltreated before age 12: a prospective investigation.
- Authors: Black MM, Oberlander SE, Lewis T, Knight ED, Zolotor AJ, Litrownik AJ, Thompson R, Dubowitz H, English DE
- Issue date: 2009 Sep
- Effects of maltreatment and parental schizophrenia spectrum disorders on early childhood social-emotional functioning: a population record linkage study.
- Authors: Matheson SL, Kariuki M, Green MJ, Dean K, Harris F, Tzoumakis S, Tarren-Sweeney M, Brinkman S, Chilvers M, Sprague T, Carr VJ, Laurens KR
- Issue date: 2017 Dec
- Examining Parental Factors as Moderators Between Maltreatment and Adolescent Delinquency.
- Authors: Corlis M, Damashek A
- Issue date: 2021 Sep
- Early Childhood Maltreatment and Girls' Sexual Behavior: The Mediating Role of Pubertal Timing.
- Authors: Ryan RM, Mendle J, Markowitz AJ
- Issue date: 2015 Sep
- Childhood psychological maltreatment subtypes and adolescent depressive symptoms.
- Authors: Paul E, Eckenrode J
- Issue date: 2015 Sep