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.
Subject(s)
Adolescent Behavior , Affect , HIV Infections/prevention & control , Mood Disorders/psychology , Risk-Taking , Sexual Behavior , Substance-Related Disorders/complications , Adolescent , Analysis of Variance , Chicago , Condoms/statistics & numerical data , Female , HIV Infections/psychology , Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice , Humans , Male , Rhode Island , Self Efficacy , Self-Help Groups , Self-Injurious Behavior , Surveys and Questionnaires , Young AdultABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The popularity of the Internet for health information and the growing availability of online access make the Internet a compelling medium for health promotion and HIV/STI prevention efforts for adolescents. Many private and federally funded programs have incorporated Web-based approaches and online technologies into their sexual education and HIV/STI prevention efforts for adolescents. These efforts have resulted in numerous Web sites and varied online content. This content is currently understudied and underevaluated. In this study, current sexual health Web sites targeted at adolescents were catalogued and coded. METHODS: Web sites targeted at adolescents were coded for educational content, credibility, usability, as well as interactivity. RESULTS: A significant amount of sexual health information geared toward teens is available online. All the Web sites reviewed showed deficiencies in educational content, as well as deficiencies in usability, authority, and interactivity. Planned Parenthood's Web site was the most well rounded of the sites assessed.