Abstract
The purpose of this study was to compare sexual-minority and heterosexual youths’ exposure to sexual abuse off-line, problematic
sexual meetings off-line with person/s met online and online harassment with regard to prevalence, psychological well-being
and support seeking. A nationally representative sample of 3,432 Swedish high school seniors completed an anonymous school-based
survey about sexuality, health, sexual abuse and online-related sexual victimisation or harassment. Sexual-minority adolescents
reported a greater rate of sexual abuse, problematic sexual meetings off-line with person/s met online and online harassment,
compared to heterosexual youth. When compared to non-victimised heterosexual adolescents, victimised heterosexual adolescents
and non-victimised and victimised sexual-minority adolescents reported more psychiatric symptoms, lower self-esteem and a
weaker sense of coherence. Same-sex sexual orientation was related to more psychiatric symptoms, lower self-esteem and a weaker
sense of coherence even when controlled for victimisation and gender. Compared to victimised heterosexual adolescents, victimised
sexual-minority adolescents were more likely to seek support because of sexual abuse (females) or Internet-related problems
(males and females). Results for sexual-minority youth were basically the same whether sexual orientation was assessed as
sexual identity or as sexual or emotional attraction. Health care providers are challenged to not only provide the same care
to sexual-minority youth who seek counselling or psychiatric treatment for mental health problems or problems related to victimisation
that all adolescents should receive but also to find ways to address topics like prevention of sexual abuse and risk-taking
behaviour online or off-line.
sexual meetings off-line with person/s met online and online harassment with regard to prevalence, psychological well-being
and support seeking. A nationally representative sample of 3,432 Swedish high school seniors completed an anonymous school-based
survey about sexuality, health, sexual abuse and online-related sexual victimisation or harassment. Sexual-minority adolescents
reported a greater rate of sexual abuse, problematic sexual meetings off-line with person/s met online and online harassment,
compared to heterosexual youth. When compared to non-victimised heterosexual adolescents, victimised heterosexual adolescents
and non-victimised and victimised sexual-minority adolescents reported more psychiatric symptoms, lower self-esteem and a
weaker sense of coherence. Same-sex sexual orientation was related to more psychiatric symptoms, lower self-esteem and a weaker
sense of coherence even when controlled for victimisation and gender. Compared to victimised heterosexual adolescents, victimised
sexual-minority adolescents were more likely to seek support because of sexual abuse (females) or Internet-related problems
(males and females). Results for sexual-minority youth were basically the same whether sexual orientation was assessed as
sexual identity or as sexual or emotional attraction. Health care providers are challenged to not only provide the same care
to sexual-minority youth who seek counselling or psychiatric treatment for mental health problems or problems related to victimisation
that all adolescents should receive but also to find ways to address topics like prevention of sexual abuse and risk-taking
behaviour online or off-line.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Contribution
- Pages 1-14
- DOI 10.1007/s00787-012-0294-5
- Authors
- Gisela Priebe, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, IKVL, Lund University, Box 117, 221 00 Lund, Sweden
- Carl Göran Svedin, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, IKE, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Online ISSN 1435-165X
- Print ISSN 1018-8827