Sexual and Physical Abuse among Adolescents with Behavioral Disorders: Profiles and Implications

Abstract

Sexual and physical abuse can have chronic and debilitating effects on adolescents. Very little is known about the prevalence and frequency of sexual and physical abuse among adolescents with behavioral disorders, yet this information would seem to be critical if appropriate educational programs for these adolescents are to be developed. The Student Questionnaire was sent to 82 adolescents with behavioral disorders and 70 adolescents without disabilities to solicit information on the prevalence, frequency, and conditions associated with sexual and physical abuse among these adolescents. There were significant differences between the adolescents with behavioral disorders and the adolescents without disabilities in the prevalence, frequency, and conditions of sexual and physical abuse. The prevalence of sexual abuse was highest among the adolescent females with behavioral disorders. While the adolescents with behavioral disorders reported higher frequencies of sexual and physical abuse than the adolescents without disabilities, the latter group also indicated problems in both of these areas. As a result of the study, educational recommendations are generated which address the needs demonstrated by the adolescents who have been sexually or physically abused.