Abstract
This work aims to analyze the impact of childhood and adolescent sexual abuse on variables related to mental health and to identify the characteristics of the victims. To achieve this objective, microdata of the National School Health Survey 2015 was used, applying the methodology of Propensity Score Matching. The results show that the abused youth has a unique behavioral, familiar and socioeconomic profile and that they are more likely to use alcohol and drugs, be victim of bullying, to be in age-grade lag, to be employed and not to intend to continue studying. From a familiar point of view, they have low parental monitoring and lower probability of living with their mother. Estimates show that teenage sexual abuse can increase the youth’s chance of reporting a constant feeling of loneliness by 13.3 percent, a 7.5 percent higher chance of having few or none friends, and a 9.5 percent higher chance of reporting frequent insomnia. Significant differences in effects on men and women were also observed, with impacts on loneliness feelings and insomnia greater for the first group and greater on the number of friends for the second.
Sexual abuse; Mental health; Propensity Score Matching; National School Health Survey
