Background and objective

Youth with intellectual disabilities involved in child welfare systems are at greater risk of sexual victimization than youth who have not been investigated for child maltreatment. This study addresses a gap in the literature regarding older youth with intellectual disabilities who are sexually victimized and pushed to engage in transactional sex while they are transitioning from child welfare systems involvement. It does so by examining risk and protective factors at the individual, micro, exo, and macro systems levels.

Participants and setting

This study included 334 youth ages 18–19.5 from a nationally representative sample of 5,872 child welfare–involved youth.

Methods

Multivariate logistic regression models were used to conduct a secondary analysis of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being II to examine relationships between intellectual ability, social support, and community environment and sexual victimization and engaging in transactional sex.

Results

Results indicate that 2.5 % of the youth experienced sexual victimization in the past 12 months, and 3.9 % had engaged in transactional sex in the past 6 months. The mean intelligence score for these youth was one standard deviation below average (M = 84.62, SD = 19.60). Being female was associated with experiencing sexual victimization (Odds Ratio = 17.29, p = .025). Higher intellectual ability scores were associated with lower odds of engaging in paid sexual activity (Odds Ratio = 0.92, p = .002).

Conclusions

This study highlights the need for early identification of intellectual disabilities among child welfare–involved youth, provision of informed social supports and services, and building community connections during transition to prevent sexual victimization.

中文翻译：

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涉及儿童福利的青年中的性受害和智力障碍

背景与目的

参与儿童福利系统的智障青年比未因虐待儿童而接受调查的青年面临更大的性受害风险。这项研究解决了文献中关于老年智障青年的空白，他们在从儿童福利系统参与过渡的过程中受到性侵害并被迫从事性交易。它通过检查个人、微观、外在和宏观系统层面的风险和保护因素来做到这一点。

参与者和设置

这项研究包括 334 名 18-19.5 岁的青年，他们来自全国代表性的 5,872 名参与儿童福利的青年样本。

方法

使用多元逻辑回归模型对全国儿童和青少年幸福感调查 II 进行二次分析，以检查智力、社会支持和社区环境与性受害和从事性交易之间的关系。

结果

结果表明，2.5% 的青少年在过去 12 个月内经历过性侵害，3.9% 在过去 6 个月内进行过性交易。这些年轻人的平均智力得分比平均值低一个标准差（M = 84.62，SD = 19.60）。成为女性与遭受性侵害有关（优势比= 17.29，p = .025）。较高的智力得分与从事有偿性活动的几率较低相关（几率比= 0.92，p = .002）。

结论

本研究强调了在参与儿童福利的青年中及早识别智力障碍的必要性，提供知情的社会支持和服务，并在过渡期间建立社区联系以防止性受害。