Impulsiveness, and trait displaced aggression among drug using female sex traders

Abstract

Objective This study compared women who sex trade for drugs, money, or both compared to neither (did not sex trade), and introduced the concept of trait displaced aggression to the literature on sex trading. Methods Female participants (n = 1055) were recruited from a low-income area of southern California. Measures included: the Risk Behavior Assessment (RBA), Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS), Eysenck Impulsiveness Scale (EIS), and the Displaced Aggression Questionnaire (DAQ). Results Women who traded sex for both drugs and money used crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and alcohol significantly more, scored higher on the BIS, and the EIS, and were significantly older. Those who only sex traded for drugs used more amphetamine, heroin, and injected drugs more days. They were also higher on the DAQ and all of the DAQ subscales. Those who traded for money only used marijuana more and were more likely to use marijuana before sex. Conclusions This study may help address specific issues unique to those who sex trade for different commodities in that the drugs used are different and the underlying personality characteristics are different.

Relationship between impulsivity and aggressiveness with mental disorders and suicide risk in cocaine/crack users

“…Another study showed that aggression and impulsivity were linked with sex exchange for drug use (Clingan et al, 2016). While in Brazilian sample, after analysis multivariate was possible found the relation between lifetime use of crack cocaine with traits of aggression and firearm custody as well more likely to perform unprotected sex the first sex (Narvaez et al, 2014).…”

“…Additionally, cocaine/crack use was associated with impulsivity and aggression (Comín et al, 2016;Odell et al, 2017). However, the role of the impulsivity and aggressivity in the modulation to exacerbation mental disorders in drug users have been few investigated (Clingan et al, 2016).…”

Health implications of sex trading characteristics in Long Beach, California, USA

“…This study supports other studies of FSWs, which found differences among women based on whether they traded sex for money, drugs, or both. 20,28,29 By categorizing FSWs into those who trade only for money, those who trade only for drugs, those who trade for both money and drugs, and those who do not trade sex, we elaborated upon these findings and found that that those who trade for both drugs and money have a higher overall risk profile than women who trade sex for only money or only drugs. More specifically, FSWs who trade sex for both money and drugs have more sex without using condoms; have a greater number of sex partners and sex partners who inject drugs; self-reported having had most of the STIs that we inquired about; were more likely to test positive on laboratory tests for hepatitis B, hepatitis C, syphilis, and HIV; and had spent substantially more time incarcerated.…”

“…19 In a California study, women who traded sex for both drugs and money used more crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and alcohol, whereas those women who only traded sex for drugs used more amphetamine, heroin, and injected drugs more often. 20 The Houston Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring Program found that women arrested for prostitution offenses were more likely to test positive for cocaine, and to self-report crack and powder cocaine use, 21 and a New York study found that people who inject drugs who smoked crack or snorted powder cocaine were more likely to exchange sex. 22 More information about the relationship between illicit drug use and form of sex trading can lead to more targeted and cost-effective interventions.…”

“…Similarly, in our prior research, we found that women who traded sex for both drugs and money used both crack and powder cocaine and alcohol more, were more impulsive, and were older. 20 Another study that collapsed those who trade drugs for money with those who trade for both drugs and money, and compared this group with those who traded only for drugs, found that those who traded only for drugs were more at risk for HIV. 29 In the current study, we expanded on this model by comparing these three groups of women who sex traded, with women who have never sex traded, on STI and HIV history, age of first use of different illicit drugs, and lifetime history of incarceration.…”