One Group or Many? Identifying Distinct Profiles of Adolescents Involved in Image-Based Sexual Abuse

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Psychology
• Criminology

Background:

• Image-Based Sexual Abuse (IBSA) is a growing public health issue with varied individual experiences.
• Understanding diverse risk, victimization, and resilience factors is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Previous research often overlooks the heterogeneity of IBSA-affected populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct profiles of young adults based on IBSA exposure, childhood adversity, online risk behaviors, and delinquency.
• To analyze the characteristics and prevalence of these identified profiles.
• To inform public health strategies by highlighting the diverse nature of IBSA experiences.

Main Methods:

• Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was employed to identify distinct subgroups.
• Data from 2,630 young adults (ages 18-28) were analyzed.
• The study oversampled sexual and gender minorities and individuals with pre-18 IBSA experiences.

Main Results:

• Seven distinct profiles emerged, ranging from 'Minimal IBSA Exposure' (48.58%) to 'Severe Adversity with Online and Offline Exposure' (3.02%).
• The 'Severe Adversity' group showed highest IBSA, childhood victimization, delinquency, distress, and suicidal ideation.
• Other profiles included 'Image Sharing and IBSA Experience - Online Only,' 'Active Image Sharing with IBSA Exposure,' 'Low-Risk Engagement with Early Adversity,' 'Offline Interaction Group,' and 'Low-Risk Porn Viewers,' each with unique risk profiles.

Conclusions:

• IBSA experiences are highly heterogeneous, with risk not being uniform across affected individuals.
• Specific profiles demonstrate varying degrees of online/offline risk-taking, early adversity, and psychological distress.
• Findings underscore the need for nuanced approaches to prevention and support for IBSA victims.