Pathways From Early Childhood Maltreatment to Adolescent Dating Violence: The Role of Traumatic Stress and Substance Use Among Juvenile Justice-Involved Youth

Court-involved youth are more likely to report early childhood maltreatment histories, and these maltreatment histories can lead to subsequent risk behaviors such as adolescent dating violence (ADV). We used longitudinal data from the Epidemiological Project Involving Children in the Court on youth (N = 192) at first contact with the juvenile court to examine early childhood maltreatment with subsequent ADV, assessing pathways of alcohol, cannabis use, and traumatic stress. Using structural equation modeling, we found that early childhood maltreatment increased the risk for experiencing future ADV, traumatic stress, and alcohol use among youth in first-time contact with the legal system. Transgender youth were at greater risk of experiencing traumatic events, including ADV. Interventions to address traumatic stress and alcohol use among youth with ADV histories at the front door of system contact could reduce ADV likelihood over time. Such interventions should also consider the specific heightened needs of transgender youth, for whom available options are few.