ArticleCureus2026
Factors Associated With the Severity of Sexual Abuse Among Adolescents in Reception Centers in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
Introduction Sexual abuse among adolescents is associated with significant psychosocial and mental health consequences. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), data on factors associated with the severity of these abuses among vulnerable adolescents remain limited. This study aimed to identify factors associated with the severity of sexual abuse among adolescents attending reception centers in Kinshasa. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from April to August 2025 among 195 adolescents aged 12-18 years recruited from two reception centers in Kinshasa. Sexual abuse was assessed using the corresponding subscale of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), psychological distress using the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28), and self-esteem using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). Associations were examined using appropriate bivariate tests, followed by ordinal logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results Overall, 56.9% of the adolescents reported experiencing sexual abuse, including 12.3% in mild form, 26.2% moderate, and 18.5% severe. In bivariate analysis, the severity of sexual abuse was associated with age, type of center, family structure, psychological distress, self-esteem, and cannabis and tobacco use. After adjustment, the factors independently associated with higher severity were female sex (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.78; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-3.16), attachment to the mother (aOR = 5.12; 95% CI: 1.74-15.07), attachment to a third person (aOR = 3.34; 95% CI: 1.06-10.49), reconstituted, extended, and nuclear family structures, and cannabis use (aOR = 3.49; 95% CI: 1.56-7.81). An inverse statistical association was observed between alcohol consumption and severity of sexual abuse after adjustment. Conclusions Sexual abuse is common among adolescents attending reception centers in Kinshasa. Its severity is associated with familial, relational, and behavioral factors, highlighting the need for multisectoral interventions for prevention, screening, and psychosocial care adapted to this vulnerable population. However, all findings should be interpreted with substantial caution because the assessment instruments used in this study have not undergone formal cross-cultural validation or psychometric adaptation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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