Sexual Risk Behavior among Adolescents Seeking Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Exploring Psychosocial & Symptom Correlates

Abstract

Adolescents exposed to trauma experience disproportionate rates of HIV/STI. However, integrated treatment for trauma and sexual risk behavior is rare. To inform integrated prevention efforts, the current study describes prevalence and correlates of sexual risk behavior among adolescents seeking treatment for symptoms of posttraumatic stress and substance use disorders. Adolescents aged 13–18 years (N = 135; 88% female) with histories of interpersonal violence exposure completed pre-treatment questionnaires in a randomized controlled trial of an integrated psychotherapy for trauma and substance use symptomology. Adolescents reported high rates of sexual risk behaviors relative to national estimates and general mental health treatment samples. Symptoms of reexperiencing, substance use, and peer deviance were related to sexual risk behavior beyond the influence of other trauma symptoms. Individual and contextual psychosocial factors may be stronger predictors of sexual risk behavior than posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms among adolescents with trauma symptomology. Integrated interventions targeting traumatic stress, substance use, and sexual risk behavior concurrently may prevent revictimization and HIV/STI incidence among trauma-exposed youth.