Gender-specific mental and behavioral health outcomes among physically and sexually maltreated high-risk youths

Early physical and sexual child maltreatment (EPS-CMT) has been linked to a variety of mental/behavioral problems in adolescence; however, little research has investigated differences in EPS-CMT-related outcomes by gender and stage of pre-adolescence/adolescence among youths residing in high-risk communities (e.g. high levels of poverty and crime). We explored this area of research by using a cross-sectional study design with survey data provided by 4,131 youths in grades 7, 9, 11, and 12 who resided in a high-risk school district (81% participated). Students were considered victims of EPS-CMT if they reported having either physical or sexual abuse prior to the age of 10 years. By grade level and gender, prevalence ratios (PR) were calculated to estimate the association between EPS-CMT and various outcomes (e.g. violence, victimization, suicidality, illegal substance use), adjusting for race/ethnicity, witnessing neighborhood violence, and witnessing violence between caregivers prior to age 10. EPS-CMT was positively associated with suicidality at each grade, regardless of gender. There was a stronger association between EPS-CMT and perpetration of violence among females than males, in grade 7 (PRs: 1.58 versus 1.07, p<0.05) and grades 11-12 (PRs: 1.43 versus 1.05, P<0.05). Positive associations between EPS-CMT and substance use, violent behavior, peer and date perpetration, and peer and date victimization were found among male and female youths as early as the 7th grade. This study found that many negative behaviors related to self-reported EPS-CMT are in evidence by grade 7, prevention efforts are needed as early as pre-adolescence for youths living in a high-risk community.