Sexual health of children and young people in the child welfare system and in conflict with the law
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Abstract
Existing literature focusing on the study of children's and adolescents' sexual health has reported heterogeneous results that vary according to life experiences and sexual history. Children and adolescents in the child welfare system, unlike young people in conflict with the law or the general population, have been removed from their homes for physical or sexual abuse, among other reasons. The experience of such events in childhood has been linked to a range of disruptive behaviours, including problematic sexual behaviour. Despite this, both children and adolescents in the child welfare system and young people in conflict with the law are hardly accessible and their sexual health has rarely been the center of attention. For this reason, the research group SALUSEX has embarked on this project whose main objective is to know the sexual health of these population groups, by conducting a descriptive study that allows to identify possible variables associated with sexual development not healthy. The viability of this line of research lies in two collaboration agreements with the DGIA and the Diagrama Foundation, respectively. Currently, 326 children and adolescents (30.5% female; 69.5% male) between 11 and 19 years of age residing in 48 residential care homes in the provinces of Castellón and Valencia have been assessed using a battery of instruments; and interviews have begun with young people in socio-educational centres. Ultimately, this study is intended to have an impact on society through the development of specific materials to address possible knowledge deficits and to develop useful strategies to mitigate the consequences of unhealthy sexual development.
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