Abstract

CABALLERO-DOMINGUEZ, Carmen Cecilia; ESPITIA-CORREA, Joseph Luciano  and  CAMPO-ARIAS, Adalberto. Association between sexual abuse and psychological distress in high-school adolescents in Santa Marta, Colombia. Psicol. caribe [online]. 2022, vol.39, n.2, pp.7-7.  Epub Nov 23, 2022. ISSN 0123-417X.

Sexual abuse is a stressor that increases the risk of psychological distress. The research objective was to quantify the association between sexual abuse and psychological distress (post-traumatic stress, depression, and suicide risk) in adolescent students in Santa Marta, Colombia. A cross-sectional, correlational study was designed. One thousand four hundred sixty-two students between the ages of 13 and 17 participated (M = 15.98, SD = 0.83). Sexual abuse was investigated using a single item of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire. Psychological distress was evaluated with the SPAN (post-traumatic symptoms, suicidal ideation scale of the Center for Epidemiological Studies and Well-being Index (WHO-5). The prevalence of sexual abuse was 17.37%; post-traumatic stress, 19.36%; depression, 7.05%; and suicide risk, 13.27%. The sexual abuse history was associated with post-traumatic stress (Adjusted OR = 2.41, 95% CI 1.77 - 3.28), depression (AOR = 2.48, 95% CI 1.59 - 3.88), and suicide risk (AOR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.77 - 3.56). It is concluded that sexual abuse is a stressor that significantly increases the risk of psychological distress in adolescent students in Santa Marta, Colombia. Cohort studies are needed to control for possible confounding variables for these associations.

Keywords : Sexual abuse; Post-traumatic stress; Depression; Epidemiology; Risk factors.

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