Children’s sexual behavior problems: An ecological model using the LONGSCAN data

Wamser‐Nanney, Rachel; Campbell, Claudia L.

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.104085

Cited by 8 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…For 12.2% of JSO in the low/no SB group and 21.4% in the combined SB group, there was an indication of exposure to childhood sexual abuse. While this difference was not significant, the direction of the difference is in line with most previous research with JSO, clinical, and child protection samples, suggesting an association between exposure to sexual abuse and SB (e.g., Allen, 2017;Davis & Knight, 2019;Letourneau et al, 2004;Tarren-Sweeney, 2008;Wamser-Nanney & Campbell, 2019). However, in line with previous research, indications of exposure to sexual abuse were present only in a minority of children with SB (minority of the combined SB group) (e.g., Allen, 2017;Silovsky & Niec, 2002).…”

Section: Association Of Sexualized Behavior With Indications Of Expos...supporting

confidence: 88%

“…In the present study, the combined SB group presented a significantly higher rate of disruptive behavior disorders than low/no SB. The notion of a partial overlap in the etiology of externalizing problems and SB has been supported by studies across clinical, child protection, and community samples of children (e.g., Allen, 2017;Ensink et al, 2018;Lévesque et al, 2010;Lussier & Healey, 2010;Malvaso et al, 2020;Meyer-Bahlburg et al, 2000;van Goozen et al, 2002;Wamser-Nanney & Campbell, 2019), thus suggesting that dysregulation, that is, deficits in the regulation of emotions, behavioral impulsivity, and attention, may be common factors for a range of social behavior problems, including sexual behaviors (Aebi et al, 2020;Aitken et al, 2019). Further, neuropsychological deficits such as impaired cognitive and emotional functioning affecting self-regulation discussed in the etiology of antisocial and disruptive behavior (van Goozen et al, 2022) may tie in SB, disruptive behavior and criminal behavior.…”

Section: Association Of Sexualized Behavior With Indications Of Expos...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sexualized Behavior Among Adolescents Who Sexually Offended

Krause¹,

Barra

Landolt

et al. 2022

Arch Sex Behav

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Early or excessive sexualized behaviors and preoccupations with sexuality (SB) exhibited by juveniles who have sexually offended (JSO) are considered risk factors for sexual recidivism. However, research into SB among JSO is scarce. The present study retrospectively examined prevalence rates and patterns of SB among JSO prior to sexual offending and their relation to psychopathology and sexual recidivism. We systematically assessed information from psychiatric and psychological expert reports in case files of 230 JSO aged 12–18 years (M = 14.46, SD = 1.49) from a population sample of JSO with contact sexual offenses. A total of 93 (40.4%) JSO exhibited SB prior to the index sexual offense. Latent class analysis revealed three SB profiles: (1) “low/no SB” (n = 188), (2) “preoccupied SB” (preoccupation with sexuality, e.g., early pornography consumption, excessive masturbation; n = 29), and (3) “dysregulated SB” (exhibiting inappropriate sexualized behaviors toward others, e.g., sexualized speech, touching others inappropriately; n = 13). The preoccupied SB and the dysregulated SB groups showed higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders than the low/no SB. However, none of the JSO of the preoccupied SB or dysregulated SB groups reoffended sexually within 365 days after conviction for the sexual index offense (low/no SB: 12.8%). Overall, our findings do not support a general notion of the presence of SB as an indicator of high risk for persistent sexual offending among JSO. Instead, JSO with SB appear particularly burdened regarding a range of psychiatric disorders that should be treated accordingly.

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Section: Association Of Sexualized Behavior With Indications Of Expos...supporting

confidence: 88%

Section: Association Of Sexualized Behavior With Indications Of Expos...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexualized Behavior Among Adolescents Who Sexually Offended

Krause¹,

Barra

Landolt

et al. 2022

Arch Sex Behav

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…A subset of children engage in SBPs following sexual abuse (10%-30%; Baker et al, 2008;Easton et al, 2011;Friedrich et al, 1992;Gray et al, 1999), and numerous other clinical difficulties have been frequently linked with SBPs (e.g., externalizing difficulties, attentional problems, social difficulties, PTSS) (Allen et al, 2015;Allen, 2017;Baker et al, 2008;Gray et al, 1999;Smith et al, 2019;Wamser-Nanney & Campbell, 2019, 2020a). Yet, little research has investigated if certain clinical symptoms are distinctly related to SBPs and ISBPs among sexually abused children in a multivariate manner.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nonetheless, given the challenges of diagnosing PTSD in children (Scheeringa, 2011), many of these children may suffer from significant PTSS. Several studies have observed a link between PTSS and SBPs (Allen et al, 2015;Smith et al, 2019;Szanto et al, 2012;Wamser-Nanney & Campbell, 2019, 2020a, but not consistently (Allen, 2017). Given the sparse number of studies in this area, additional work examining levels of PTSS among children with SBPs and ISBPs is needed, particularly while controlling for other symptoms that may be present.…”

Section: Children's Sexual Behavior Problemsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Behavior Problems Among Sexually Abused Children: Associations With Co-Occurring Symptoms

Wamser‐Nanney

Campbell

2020

Child Maltreat

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Sexual behavior problems (SBPs) and interpersonal SBPs (ISBPs) among sexually abused children often occur alongside a variety of other clinical difficulties, such as externalizing problems, attentional difficulties, social concerns, and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Yet, as few studies have examined these links in a multivariate manner, it is unclear which symptoms are most strongly related to SBPs and ISBPs. Research regarding children’s reports of their difficulties and SBPs and ISBPs is also very limited. The current study investigated the relations between both caregiver- and child-reported trauma-related symptoms and SBPs and ISBPs among 248 treatment-seeking sexually abused children (ages 6–12; M = 8.06, SD = 2.52; 64.5% female; 55.6% white). Children’s caregiver-reported trauma-related sexual concerns and anger were associated with SBPs. For ISBPs, only caregiver-reported sexual concerns were related to ISBPs. Surprisingly, none of the child-reported symptoms were associated with either SBPs or ISBPs. Trauma-related sexual concerns and anger may be tied to SBPs, whereas other clinical difficulties may be less strongly implicated. Trauma-related sexual concerns may be most important in understanding interpersonally focused SBPs. Children’s self-reported difficulties may be unrelated to caregiver-reported SBPs, or these results may be a function of a low degree of caregiver and child symptom concordance.

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“…Approximately 7%–22% of children in clinical samples (Allen, 2017; Gray et al., 1997) and 10%–47% of sexually abused children and those in the child welfare system (Baker et al., 2008; Wamser‐Nanney & Campbell, 2019, 2020a, 2020b) exhibit sexual behavior problems (SBPs), defined as age‐inappropriate, problematic, or potentially harmful sexual behaviors that may be self‐ or other‐directed and occur in children 12 years of age and younger (Chaffin et al., 2008; Shawler et al., 2018; Smith et al., 2019). Children with SBPs have experienced high rates of maltreatment (i.e., 52%–63%), yet research has focused almost solely on the contribution of individual maltreatment types, overlooking the potential importance of multiple victimization experiences, which often co‐occur (Elkovitch et al., 2009).…”

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confidence: 99%

Children with sexual behavior problems: Ties to child maltreatment, family functioning, and help‐seeking

Campbell,

Wamser

2023

Journal of Traumatic Stress

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Although the literature on children's sexual behavior problems (SBPs) has indicated that maltreatment and family dysfunction are linked to SBPs, several facets of these factors have remained unexamined. Prior research has largely focused on SBPs more broadly, though interpersonal SBPs (ISBPs) are likely a distinct, more severe SBP subtype. The aim of the current study was to examine potentially relevant, unexplored factors, including the number of types of and total allegations of maltreatment as well as familial characteristics (i.e., parenting attitudes and behaviors, discipline methods, family functioning, and help‐seeking) in relation to SBPs and ISBPs. The present study included 8‐year‐old children (N = 1,011, 51.1% female, 53.8% Black) and their caregivers from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) study. In the model for SBPs, externalizing symptoms, the number of types of maltreatment allegations, maladaptive discipline methods, and help‐seeking were associated with SBPs, whereas child's gender, race/ethnicity, internalizing symptoms, total maltreatment allegations, income, family functioning, and parenting attitudes were unrelated, r2 = .23. When ISBPs were examined, only child's gender and externalizing symptoms were tied to ISBPs, r2 = .09. However, child's race/ethnicity and internalizing symptoms, as well as maltreatment experiences, family factors, and help‐seeking, were not associated with ISBPs. These findings highlight the importance of broader externalizing symptoms for both SBPs and ISBPs as well as the role of multiple types of maltreatment, parenting behavior, and help‐seeking in the context of general SBPs.

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Children’s sexual behavior problems: An ecological model using the LONGSCAN data

Cited by 8 publications

References 47 publications

Sexualized Behavior Among Adolescents Who Sexually Offended

Sexualized Behavior Among Adolescents Who Sexually Offended

Sexual Behavior Problems Among Sexually Abused Children: Associations With Co-Occurring Symptoms

Children with sexual behavior problems: Ties to child maltreatment, family functioning, and help‐seeking

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