Past Bullying Victimization Experiences and Current Sexual Risk Taking among Emerging Adults

A growing body of research suggests that a history of bullying victimization is a risk factor for sexual risk taking (e.g., unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, using drugs or alcohol before or during sex). However, previous studies that have examined the association between bullying victimiza...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of sex research 2022-07, Vol.59 (6), p.749-757
Main Authors: Provenzano, Daniel A., Boroughs, Michael S.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Anal intercourse
Bullying
Risk behavior
Risk taking
Safe sexual practices
Self report
Sexual behavior
Sexual violence
Victimization
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Summary:A growing body of research suggests that a history of bullying victimization is a risk factor for sexual risk taking (e.g., unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners, using drugs or alcohol before or during sex). However, previous studies that have examined the association between bullying victimization and sexual risk taking used only single, or very few, items to measure sexual risk taking. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to use a more comprehensive, psychometrically validated self-report measure to better capture the construct of sexual risk taking as an outcome linked with a history of bullying victimization (N = 650; 336 women, 314 men; M age  = 20.07, SD = 1.70). Negative binomial regression analyses provided support for hypotheses. Emerging adults with a history of bullying victimization were more likely to engage in various sexual risk behaviors such as casual sex, risky sex acts, impulsive sexual behaviors, intent to have risky sexual behaviors, risky anal sex acts, and overall sexual risk taking compared to emerging adults without a history of bullying victimization. These results may have implications for informing interventions to help emerging adults better manage past bullying experiences.
ISSN:0022-4499
1559-8519
DOI:10.1080/00224499.2021.2005761