Longitudinal and Reciprocal Relationships of Depression Among Minors with Online Sexual Solicitations and Interactions with Adults.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the temporal and reciprocal relationships between depression and online child sexual victimization, including both online sexual solicitations and interactions of minors with adults. Gender differences in these relationships were also examined. A total of 1,504 adolescents (52.4 percent girls; mean age = 13.11; SD = 0.79) completed measures at T1 and at T2, 1 year apart. The relationship among variables was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The prevalence for sexual solicitation and interactions was 7.1 percent and 3.6 percent at T1 and 15.1 percent and 8.2 percent at T2, respectively. More depressive symptoms by minors at T1 predicted an increased online sexual solicitation and interaction with adults at T2. However, T1 sexual solicitation and interaction were not related to T2 depression. These results were equivalent for both girls and boys. Moreover, the findings showed considerable stability of online sexual child victimization over time. Intervention efforts (i.e., preventative actions) should consider the depressive symptomatology among adolescents. Similarly, interventions should focus on monitoring victims to reduce the likelihood that they will be victimized in the future.