AJPM Focus. 2026 Jan 13;5(3):100478. doi: 10.1016/j.focus.2026.100478. eCollection 2026 Jun.
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Sexual dating violence victimization is a significant public health issue among high-school students, with short-term (physical injuries) and long-term (substance abuse) impacts. Mental health issues during the pandemic may have increased adolescents’ vulnerability to experiencing sexual dating violence victimization by impairing coping mechanisms, reducing decision-making capacity, and limiting access to protective social support. Few studies have investigated demographic disparities in sexual dating violence victimization and how the pandemic impacted sexual dating violence victimization among high-school students. The aim of this study was to examine the demographic and racialized disparities in sexual dating violence victimization and assess the association between mental health during the pandemic and sexual dating violence victimization among high-school students.
METHODS: The authors conducted a cross-sectional study using 2021 national pooled Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance surveys of 234,572 U.S. high-school students. The authors used complex survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression models to assess the association between mental health during the pandemic and sexual dating violence victimization in U.S. high-school students overall and subgroups.
RESULTS: The authors identified demographic and racialized disparities in sexual dating violence victimization, including differences in age, sex, and race. Females were more likely to experience sexual dating violence victimization than males (AOR=3.50, p<0.001). Worse mental health during the pandemic was independently associated with sexual dating violence victimization in high-school students, overall and by subgroups. High-school students with always-not-good mental health were more likely to experience sexual dating violence victimization than those with never-not-good mental health (AOR=5.15, p<0.001). The association was stronger in younger students (aged ≤14 years), females, 9th graders, and those of minority races than in the overall high-school student population. For example, females with always-not-good mental health were more likely to experience sexual dating violence victimization (AOR=7.67, p<0.001) than those with never-not-good mental health.
CONCLUSIONS: It is imperative to implement prevention strategies to reduce sexual dating violence victimization among high-school students. Strategies should prioritize mental health support, especially for those demographic and racialized at-risk groups.
PMID:41953923 | PMC:PMC13053685 | DOI:10.1016/j.focus.2026.100478
