Promoting positive mental health: risk and protective factors for youth who experienced physical and sexual abuse [abstract]
Abstract Background: Sexual abuse and physical abuse are risk factors for a trajectory of poor mental health. Purpose: To identify specific risk and protective factors associated with mental health for male and female youth who have experienced physical and sexual abuse. Study/Intervention Design: A mixed methods study using data from the 2008 BC Adolescent Health Survey (AHS) and from 617 […]
Substance Use and Sexual Orientation among East and Southeast Asian Adolescents in Canada
Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between substance use and sexual orientation among Asian adolescents in Canada. We analyzed an East- and Southeast-Asian subsample of a province-wide, school-based survey (weighted N = 51,349). Compared to heterosexual adolescents of the same gender, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and mostly heterosexual adolescents were more likely to use […]
The relationship between sexual abuse and risky sexual behavior among adolescent boys: A meta-analysis
Abstract Purpose: Childhood and adolescent sexual abuse has been shown to lead to increased odds of sexual behaviors that lead to sexually transmitted infections and early pregnancy involvement. Research, meta-analyses, and interventions, however, have focused primarily on girls and young women who have experienced abuse, yet some adolescent boys are also sexually abused. We performed a meta-analysis of the existing […]
Enacted Stigma, Problem Substance Use, and Protective Factors among Asian Sexual Minority Youth in British Columbia
Abstract This study examined enacted stigma and problem substance use among Asian sexual minority youth and the buffering role of protective factors. Logistic regression analyses of a weighted sample of 5,423 Asian youth who completed the 2003 BC Adolescent Health Survey indicated that sexual minority youth were more likely to be victimized compared to heterosexual […]
Research on Adolescent Sexual Orientation: Development, Health Disparities, Stigma, and Resilience
Abstract The decade between 1998 and 2008 saw rapid increases in research on adolescent sexual orientation development and related health issues, both in the quantity and in the quality of studies. While much of the research originated in North America, studies from other countries also contributed to emerging understanding of developmental trajectories and social influences […]
Is cultural connectedness a protective factor? [abstract]
Purpose: Given growing ethno-cultural diversity, a sense of cultural connection may be a key factor in risk prevention and health promotion for North American youth. We studied the psychometric properties of a cultural connectedness measure and its utility as a protective factor. Methods: Over 29,000 grade 7-12 students from diverse ethnic groups took part in […]
Restoring Healthy Developmental Trajectories for Sexually Exploited Young Runaway Girls: Fostering Protective Factors and Reducing Risk Behaviors
Abstract Purpose: To examine effects of the Runaway Intervention Program (RIP), a strengths-based home visiting, case management, and group support program for sexually assaulted or exploited young runaway girls; staffed by advanced-practice nurses, RIP aims to restore healthy developmental trajectories by reestablishing protective factors, reducing trauma responses, and lowering risk behaviors that are common sequelae of sexual violence. Methods: Quasi-experimental study of […]
Best Practices for Asking Questions about Sexual Orientation on Surveys
In 2003 the Ford Foundation began funding a multi-year project that sought to increase the quantity and quality of data on gay, lesbian, and bisexual people, and, by extension, on heterosexual people. Over a five-year period, many researchers participated in the expert panel funded by the grant, thus contributing to the knowledge embodied in this […]
Reducing problem substance use in Asian sexual minority and heterosexual youth [abstract]
Purpose: Youth who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) are at greater risk of being stigmatized compared to heterosexual peers, and are also more likely to report substance use. This study examined the relationship between stigma and problem substance use for Asian LGB and heterosexual youth, generating probability profiles to investigate the role that […]