Risk factors for child sexual abuse victimization: A meta-analytic review.

Abstract

Experiencing child sexual abuse (CSA) is a major public health problem with serious consequences for CSA victims. For effective assessment and (preventive) intervention, knowledge on risk factors and their effects is crucial. Here, the aim was to synthesize research on associations between (putative) risk factors and CSA victimization. In total, 765 (putative) risk factors were extracted from 72 studies, which were classified into 35 risk domains. A series of three-level meta-analyses produced a significant mean effect for 23 of the 35 risk domains ranging from r = .101 to r = .360. The strongest effects were found for prior victimization of the child and/or its family members, such as prior CSA victimization of the child and/or siblings (r = .360), prior victimization of the child other than child abuse (r = .340), prior or concurrent forms of child abuse in the child's home environment (r = .267), and a parental history of child abuse victimization (r = .265). Other identified risks were related to parental problems (e.g., intimate partner violence, r = .188), parenting problems (e.g., low quality of parent-child relation, r = .292), a non-nuclear family structure (e.g., having a stepfather, r = .118), family problems (e.g., social isolation, r = .191), child problems (e.g., having a mental/physical chronic condition, r = .193), and other child characteristics (e.g., being female, r = .290). Moderator analyses suggested that contact CSA victimization may be better predicted than non-contact CSA victimization. It was concluded that an ecological perspective on preventing CSA victimization is necessary.

The Effectiveness of Parent Training Programs for Child Maltreatment and Their Components: A Meta-Analysis

“…Parent training programs targeting the personal and problem-solving skills of parents showed significant smaller effects on child maltreatment compared with programs not targeting these skills. Several review studies showed that personal problems of parents, such as stress, anger and health problems, are important risk factors for child maltreatment [15,16,17]. Therefore, it could have been expected that addressing these problems in parent training programs contributes to the prevention or reduction of child maltreatment.…”

“…Therefore, targeting the child’s anti-social behavior in parent training programs might not necessarily increase their effectiveness. Furthermore, when too much time and effort is spent on the child’s anti-social behavior, rather than on spending time and effort on parenting related issues, the program effectiveness may actually decrease, as these issues are more predictive of child maltreatment than factors related to the characteristics of the child [15,16,17]. This could explain the negative moderating effect of this program component.…”

“…Further, the personal psychological resources of parents are considered to be central factors as they mediate more distal influences [14]. When looking at the results of some review studies on risk factors for child abuse and neglect, parent and family related risk factors are considered most important [15,16,17]. Therefore, parents are often the target of programs designed to prevent or reduce child maltreatment.…”

Family violence against children in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic: a review of current perspectives and risk factors

“…In view of the above, some of the core principles of the risk-need-responsivity model [63] could be applied to the prevention of child victimization [64]. Knowledge of the risk factors is vital for preventing or reducing violence, and for identifying the most suitable forms of support and intervention in order to address these risks in a proportionate manner.…”

How does COVID-19 impact intrafamilial child sexual abuse? Comparison analysis of reports by practitioners in Israel and the US

“…In his preconditional classic model, Finkelhor (1984) included factors of both perpetrator and victims’ individual characteristics and social features, incorporating unprotective surroundings and lack of non-offending parents’ presence/supervision, as well as social isolation as variables affecting the risk of CSA. In a recent metanalysis on risk factors and CSA victimization based on 72 studies, some of the strongest risks were attributed to parental problems and prior or concurrent forms of child abuse in the child’s home environment ( Assink et al, 2019 ).…”