Is Sibling-perpetrated Maltreatment Associated with Later Substance Use, Teen Parenthood, and Delinquency? Results From a Prospective Longitudinal Study

• In Event: Victimization over the Life Course: Longitudinal Consequences of Bullying and Adverse Experiences

Abstract

Several criminologists have investigated the relationship between experiencing maltreatment in childhood and subsequent negative outcomes in adolescence, including substance use, teen pregnancy, and delinquency. However, this research has mainly focused on the effects of parent-perpetrated maltreatment, as opposed to violence perpetrated by other individuals, including siblings. This presentation will investigate whether maltreatment (e.g., physical abuse, sexual abuse, and emotional abuse) perpetrated by siblings affects substance use, teenage parenthood, and delinquency in late adolescence (age 18) using prospective data from the Longitudinal Studies on Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN). The LONGSCAN sample includes 1,354 youth from five regions in the United States who were identified at baseline (ages 4 and 6) as being at risk for maltreatment.

Author

• Kristen Benedini, University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire