Presenter: Adia Hansen
Authors: Adia Hansen, Hanna Kaplan, Leslie Miles, Julie Valentine
Faculty Advisor: Leslie Miles
Institution: Brigham Young University
Background:Data is limited regarding the prevalence of pre-existing mental illness (MI) and previous trauma in adolescent sexual assault (SA) victims.Literature points to increased vulnerability for SA in adults with MI (Miles et al., 2021). There are manynegative consequences in the aftermath of SA: psychological dysfunction, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-harm and suicidality, MI onset, and increased vulnerability to future SA (Dworkin et al., 2017; Valencia-Agudo, et al., 2020).Research Questions:What pre-existing trauma and MI vulnerabilities are associated with adolescent patients who have experienced a recent sexual assault?Methods:Large retrospective SA forensic medical examination chart review (N=1057) of adolescent (ages 14-17) patients (2010 to 2020) in Utah was entered into SPSS.Descriptive statistics and Chi-square analysis were calculated.Results:Statistically significant variables included: prior history of SA under 14 (30%) and over 14 (26%), prior history of child physical abuse (21%); self-disclosure of MI or psychotropic medication use (41%) and self-harm thoughts (18%).Implications:Knowledge about trauma history, MI, and adolescent development can inform health professionals' care. These professionals should assess for suicidal ideation or self-harm thoughts and refer patients to mental health services to reduce long-term dysfunction (Miles et al., 2021). Awareness of youth vulnerabilities can inform interventions to create a safer environment for this subculture population.Conclusion: Adolescents with pre-existing MI and/or prior history of SA may have increased vulnerability for future SA.Trauma and adverse experiences in childhood (e.g., violence, neglect, abuse, medical trauma) leave lasting effects that jeopardize individual well-being (Felitti et al., 199 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4985495/#R36]8;McEwen, 2012 [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4985495/#R67]).Adolescents are more likely to act on impulse and misread or misinterpret social situations and emotions (AACAP, 2016). Understanding adolescent vulnerabilities can improve nursing care for SA patients and address their mental health needs, propelling patients toward recovery.