From Childhood Trauma to Adult Victimization: The Role of Sexual Mindfulness in Mitigating Sexual IPV

Abstract

Purpose: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have been linked to poor sexual health outcomes. This study aims to determine whether ACEs are associated with positive or negative sexual health factors, which could serve as indirect indicators of sexual intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization. Additionally, we discuss how sexual mindfulness may moderate this association. Methods: Data were collected between May and August 2021 from a sample of 301 women enrolled at the Torange Institute in Iran. We utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) in Mplus version 8.2 to investigate the associations. Results: The structural equation modeling results indicated that ACEs were significantly associated with both negative and positive factors related to sexual health. A direct connection was found between negative sexual health factors and sexual IPV victimization among individuals with a history of maltreatment in childhood. Conversely, sexual communication was negatively associated with sexual IPV victimization. There exists an association between ACEs and sexual IPV victimization that can be mediated by negative sexual health factors. Notably, sexual mindfulness emerged as a significant moderator in the relationship between negative sexual health factors and sexual IPV victimization among survivors of maltreatment. Conclusion: Different patterns of exposure to ACEs are linked to distinct sexual health outcomes. The findings of this study can inform preventive measures and early interventions aimed at mitigating various challenges related to adult sexual behavior for survivors of ACEs in Iran. Furthermore, as these survivors cultivate greater sexual mindfulness, their sexual decisions may become more purposeful and intentional, potentially leading to reduced regret regarding their sexual choices.