INTRODUCTION

1. Impact of Initial Sexual Experience on Predicting Female Sexual Risk BehaviorDePesa, N. S., Deavers, F. E., Eldridge, G. D., & Cassisi, J. E. University of Central Florida & University of Alaska Anchorage Group Differences in Drug and Alcohol Composites INTRODUCTION Theoretical Model • Having a history of rape has been shown to lead to an increased likelihood of PTSD, eating disorders, mood disorders, substance use issues, sexual disorders, and increased sexual risk behavior (including having more partners and decreased condom use). • Factors involved in sexual trauma that can potentially affect a victim’s outcomes include number of incidents, severity of incidents, perceived control over incidents, etc. One understudied factor is timing of the trauma. • Results so far have been inconclusive. While some studies suggest that there is no difference in later outcomes between child and adult sexual trauma victims, other suggest that childhood trauma results in worse outcomes. • A potentially impactful consideration is whether a sexual trauma victim’s first sexual encounter was voluntary or involuntary. The current literature does not address this consideration in conjunction with later sexual risk behavior. • The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of voluntariness of first sexual encounter on later substance use and sexual risk behavior. • Based on current literature, we predict that initial sexual experience will have both direct and indirect effects on later risk behavior. Resulting Model .025* • Alcohol Composite • Both the first involuntary (p = .035) and the later involuntary (p = .005) sexual experience groups’ alcohol composite scores were significantly greater than the never involuntary group. • Drug Composite • The later involuntary sexual experience group’s drug composite score was significantly greater than the never involuntary group, p = .015. The first involuntary group’s difference was approaching significance, p = .059. HYPOTHESES • We predict that, of the women who have been forced to have sex against their will, those with an involuntary initial sexual experience will have higher Alcohol, Drug, and Sexual Risk Composite scores than those with a voluntary initial sexual experience. • We further predict that women who have ever had an involuntary sexual experience will have greater risk composite scores than those who have not had any involuntary sexual experiences. .073 .027* DISCUSSION • Our initial theoretical model was not supported. There were no apparent differences in sexual risk between those with an involuntary initial experience and those with a later involuntary experience. • Consistent with prior research, having an involuntary sexual experience was associated with more alcohol and drug use issues. • Drug, but not alcohol use was related to greater sexual risk behavior. • Taken together, this could possibly suggest an indirect effect of involuntary sexual experience on sexual risk behavior through increased substance use. • Future researchers might consider examining contextual variables surrounding sexual trauma (e.g., time elapsed since trauma, age at first trauma, number of traumas) in order to determine their effects on outcomes such as sexual risk and substance abuse. • Identifying which factors lead to the greatest sexual risk behaviors is important for allocating intervention efforts to prevent such outcomes as HIV contraction. RESULTS METHODS • A univariate ANCOVA revealed that there were no group differences in sexual risk between women who have never had an involuntary sexual experience, women whose initial sexual experience was involuntary, and women who have had a later involuntary experience. • A multivariate ANOVA revealed that sexual experience had a significant effect on alcohol use; its relation with drug use was approaching significance. • The two involuntary groups had significantly higher alcohol and drug composite scores than the voluntary group. However, there were no significant differences between the two involuntary groups. (see figure on top right) • The drug composite score was the only variable to have a direct relationship with the sexual risk composite score. • Participants • 314 women from an inpatient substance dependence treatment facility in MS • 60.4% Caucasian; 39.6% African-American • aged 17-54 (M = 32.3, SD = 7.5) • 58.4% reported ever having been forced to have sex against their will • 49.5% of which reported that this was their initial sexual experience • Measures • Structured interviews were used to obtain demographic information, sexual history, and drug and alcohol use. • Sexual Risk Composite- The frequency of unprotected sexual acts were weighted according to the per-act risk for acquisition of HIV by exposure route. The distribution of scores was substantially positively skewed, therefore the data were transformed by taking the log10(x+1) of the composite scores. • Sexual Risk = (Frequency of Unprotected Anal Sex * 50) + (Frequency of Unprotected Vaginal Sex * 10) + (Frequency of Unprotected Oral Sex * 1) • Alcohol and Drug Composite- The composites were derived from the Alcohol Severity Index.