Abstract
The acquisition of affect regulation skills is often impaired or delayed in youth with mental health problems but the relationship
between affect dysregulation and risk behaviors has not been well studied. Baseline data from adolescents (N = 417; ages 13–19) recruited from therapeutic school settings examined the relationship between affect dysregulation, substance
use, self-cutting, and sexual risk behavior. Analyses of covariance demonstrated that adolescents who did not use condoms
at last sex, ever self-cut, attempted suicide, used alcohol and other drugs and reported less condom use self-efficacy when
emotionally aroused were significantly more likely (p < .01) to report greater difficulty with affect regulation than peers who did not exhibit these behaviors. General patterns
of difficulty with affect regulation may be linked to HIV risk behavior, including condom use at last sex. HIV prevention
strategies for youth in mental health treatment should target affect regulation in relation to multiple risk behaviors.
between affect dysregulation and risk behaviors has not been well studied. Baseline data from adolescents (N = 417; ages 13–19) recruited from therapeutic school settings examined the relationship between affect dysregulation, substance
use, self-cutting, and sexual risk behavior. Analyses of covariance demonstrated that adolescents who did not use condoms
at last sex, ever self-cut, attempted suicide, used alcohol and other drugs and reported less condom use self-efficacy when
emotionally aroused were significantly more likely (p < .01) to report greater difficulty with affect regulation than peers who did not exhibit these behaviors. General patterns
of difficulty with affect regulation may be linked to HIV risk behavior, including condom use at last sex. HIV prevention
strategies for youth in mental health treatment should target affect regulation in relation to multiple risk behaviors.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s10461-012-0220-3
- Authors
- Larry K. Brown, Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, One Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Christopher Houck, Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, One Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Celia Lescano, Department of Mental Health Law & Policy, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
- Geri Donenberg, Institution for Juvenile Research, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
- Marina Tolou-Shams, Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, One Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Justin Mello, Bradley Hasbro Children’s Research Center, Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, One Hoppin Street, Suite 204, Providence, RI 02903, USA
- Journal AIDS and Behavior
- Online ISSN 1573-3254
- Print ISSN 1090-7165