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Female adolescents of alcohol misusers 1: Sexual behaviors

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Abstract

Studies show that children of alcoholics constitute an at-risk population. This study attempted to understand the impact of parental alcohol misuse on sexual behaviors of female adolescents, based on a sample of 1134 teenagers from alcohol misusing parents in Minnesota. Index adolescents were more likely to report having sexual intercourse as well as greater frequency of intercourse, history of pregnancy and greater overall pregnancy risk based on current patterns of sexual behavior and contraceptive utilization. Bivariate analysis revealed that gender of the drinking parent was also associated with the above variables. However, in multivariate assessment of protective and risk factors for adolescent pregnancy in the at-risk sample, maternal vs. paternal vs. both parents drinking was no longer salient. Pregnancy avoidance was associated in the index group with two-parent family structure and higher maternal education, while pregnancy history was associated with a history of physical abuse and perception of high levels of vandalism in the school setting.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, University of North Dakota, 3060 Gillette, 58202, Grand Forks, North Dakota

    Joseph M. Chandy (Assistant Professor)

  2. National Adolescent Health Resource Center, Adolescent Health Program, University of Minnesota, USA

    Linda Harris (Senior Scientist)

  3. General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, University of Minnesota, USA

    Robert Wm. Blum (Professor and Director)

  4. Division of Health Management and Policy, School of Public Health, USA

    Michael D. Resnick (Associate Professor, Director, Research in the Adolescent Health Program, Department of Pediatrics and Director of the National Adolescent Health Resource Center)

  5. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

    Michael D. Resnick (Associate Professor, Director, Research in the Adolescent Health Program, Department of Pediatrics and Director of the National Adolescent Health Resource Center)

Authors
  1. Joseph M. Chandy
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  2. Linda Harris
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  3. Robert Wm. Blum
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  4. Michael D. Resnick
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Additional information

The study reported in this article did not utilize clinically diagnostic indicators of alcoholism. Hence the authors have deliberately avoided using the word “alcoholics” when referring to parents of study participants. The terms “alcohol misusers” and “alcohol abusers” have been substituted and are used interchangeably.

Received Ph.D. from University of Minnesota. Research interests include identifying resilience factors in populations that are considered at risk and the usefulness of these factors in planning social welfare programs.

Received Ph.D. from University of Minnesota.

Received Ph.D. from University of Minnesota. Research interests include children with chronic illness and disabilities, adolescent sexual decision making and international adolescent health care issues.

Received Ph.D. from University of Minnesota. Research focuses on adolescent high-risk behaviors and resiliency, and interested in the translation of social research into social action, programs, and policy.

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Chandy, J.M., Harris, L., Blum, R.W. et al. Female adolescents of alcohol misusers 1: Sexual behaviors. J Youth Adolescence 23, 695–709 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01537636

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