Adolescent females with a substance use disorder: Affiliations with adult male sexual partners

Objective: To test the hypothesis that low socioeconomic status (SES) a dis turbed parent-daughter relationship, early sexual development, and antisoci al behavior are risk factors in adolescent females affiliating with adult m ale sexual Partners. To determine whether the relation between these risk f actors and affiliating with adult male sexual partners is stronger in femal es with greater; rather than fewer substance, use disorders (SUD). Method: Subjects were 180 adolescent females with SUB and 87 normal controls (14-18 years of age). Results: The SUD group had a lower SES and more negative pa rent-daughter interactions, and exhibited greater antisocial tendencies. Al so, the SUD group showed a more frequent affiliation with adult male sexual partners. Chronological age, age of menarche (sexual development) antisoci al behavior, and quality, of the parent-daughter relationship were signific antly associated with affiliation with adult male sexual partners. Moreover the number of SUD diagnoses enhanced the relation between the quality of t he SUD diagnoses en relationship and antisocial behavior with affiliation w ith adult male sexual partners. Conclusions: From a prevention perspective, interventions directed at enhancing child rearing practices, communication skills, and involvement in children needs and activities might result in i mproved parent-child attachments that may attentuate young women's propensi ties to become involved in antisocial behavior and affiliate with adult sex ual partners. Also, the risk imposed by an early sexual maturation may be o ffset by enhancing the female adolescent's social sk ills to select nondevi ant and supportive male partners.