Females diagnosed with HIV have experienced high rates of intimate partner violence, have a history of sexual victimization beginning in childhood, and are significantly more likely to abuse substances (Cavanaugh, Hansen, & Sullivan, 2010; Cohen et al., 2000). However, little is known about how HIV risk behaviors begin and are sustained throughout adolescence among high-risk females who have been abused. In addition, the landscape of sexual socialization is rapidly changing as internet pornography becomes more accessible (Ybarra, Finkelhor, Mitchell, & Wolak, 2009) and social media websites more popular (Rideout, Foehr, Roberts, & Foundation, 2010). Therefore, the current study aims to understand how cyber-sexual socialization is related to HIV risk behavior in conjunction with other risk behaviors (such as substance use) through the person-centered approaches of Latent Class Analysis and Latent Transition Analysis. Using data from the Female Adolescent Development Study (FADS) which followed a high-risk sample (45% African American and 53% maltreated) of female adolescents from age 14-19, the proposed study will (1) identify particular sub-groups of female adolescents at particular risk for substance use and HIV risk behavior before the onset of those behaviors, informing the target population for intervention, (2) identify new risk factors through risky online behavior that are so much a part of adolescents sexual behavior today, informing the relevant content of interventions, (3) identify how clustering of many risk factors related to HIV and substance use transition over time, informing the timing of interventions, and (4) determine how the HIV risk path differs for maltreated adolescents and ethnic minorities so that interventions that target safe sexuality can help all female adolescents navigate safe sexual behavior.

Public Health Relevance

In order to provide the traction necessary to fill in the gaps of knowledge and education to reduce HIV risk and substance use among female adolescents, the proposed study will (1) identify particular sub-groups of female adolescents at particular risk for substance use and HIV risk behavior before the onset of those behaviors, (2) identify new risk factors through risky online behavior that are so much a part of adolescents sexual behavior today, (3) identify how HIV and substance use behaviors transition over time, and (4) determine how the HIV risk path differs for maltreated adolescents and ethnic minorities so that interventions that target sexuality can help all female adolescents navigate safe sexual behavior. By applying new analytic techniques, critical new insight into the dynamic processes involved in HIV risk behavior among female adolescents will be gained.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
1F31DA039603-01
Application #
8907377
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Schulden, Jeffrey D
Project Start
2015-07-01
Project End
2017-06-30
Budget Start
2015-07-01
Budget End
2016-06-30
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2015
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Pennsylvania State University
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Sch Allied Health Professions
DUNS #
003403953
City
University Park
State
PA
Country
United States
Zip Code
16802
Maas, Megan K; Vasilenko, Sara A; Willoughby, Brian J (2018) A Dyadic Approach to Pornography Use and Relationship Satisfaction Among Heterosexual Couples: The Role of Pornography Acceptance and Anxious Attachment. J Sex Res 55:772-782
Maas, Megan K; Bray, Bethany C; Noll, Jennie G (2018) A Latent Class Analysis of Online Sexual Experiences and Offline Sexual Behaviors Among Female Adolescents. J Res Adolesc 28:731-747
Maas, Megan K; McCauley, Heather L; Bonomi, Amy E et al. (2018) ""I Was Grabbed by My Pussy and Its #NotOkay"": A Twitter Backlash Against Donald Trump's Degrading Commentary. Violence Against Women 24:1739-1750
Leavitt, Chelom E; McDaniel, Brandon T; Maas, Megan K et al. (2017) Parenting Stress and Sexual Satisfaction Among First-time Parents: A Dyadic Approach. Sex Roles 76:346-355