Skip to main content
Log in

Children with sexual behavior problems and their caregivers: Demographics, functioning, and clinical patterns

Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment

Abstract

This article is the first report from a 5-year demonstration project examining the comparative efficacy of specialized and traditional treatments with children who have exhibited sexual behavior problems. Baseline data concerning the demographics, psychological adjustment, and victimization and perpetration histories of 72 6 to 12-year-old children who have engaged in sexual misbehavior are reported in this article. Information regarding the caregivers and extended families of these children is also presented. The data clearly demonstrate that families of children with sexual behavior problems are marked by an array of characteristics indicative of parental and familial distress, including high rates of (1) violence between parents; (2) sexual victimization and perpetration with the extended family; (3) physical abuse of the children who have exhibited sexual behavior problems; (4) children who have witnessed violence between their parents; (5) parental arrest; (6) denial of responsibility for perpetration of sexual abuse by members of the extended family; (7) poverty; (8) special educational services; (9) prior therapy for children; and (10) clinical scores on behavioral rating instruments. In particular, several significant differences emerged between younger children (6–9 years) and older children (10–12). Younger children had (1) been sexually and physically abused at an earlier age; (2) been more likely to have witnessed physical violence between parents; (3) performed problematic sexual behaviors at an earlier age; (4) a higher annual rate of problematic sexual behaviors; (5) had a higher percentage of hands-on sexual behaviors; and (6) had higher scores on measures indicative of sexual behavior problems (e.g., Child Sexual Behavior Inventory, Child Behavior Checklist—Sexual Problems Subscale). Based on these data, treatment recommendations are made for families containing children with sexual behavior problems. Given the extensive data suggesting parental characteristics that could serve as mediating variables in the sexual behavior problems of their children, effective intervention requires the involvement of the children's caregivers. The comparative efficacy of specialized and traditional treatments for these families will be reported in subsequent articles.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Achenbach, T. M. (1978). The Child Behavior Profile: I. Boys aged 6–11.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 36, 478–488.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M. (1991a).Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist 4–18 and 1991 Profile. Burlington: University of Vermont Department of Psychiatry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M. (1991b).Manual for the Teacher's Report Form and 1991 Profile. Burlington. University of Vermont Department of Psychiatry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M. (1991c).Manual for the Youth Self-report Form and 1991 Profile. Burlington: University of Vermont Department of Psychology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. S. (1979). The Child Behavior Profile: II. Boys ages 12–16 and girls ages 6–11 and 12–16.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 47, 223–233.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. S. (1981). Behavioral problems and competencies reported 015 by parents of normal and disturbed children aged four through sixteen. Monographs of 0157 the Society for Research in Child Development, 46 (Serial No. 188). 0157 0250 V

  • Achenbach, T. M., & Edelbrock, C. S. (1983).Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist and Revised Child Behavior Profile. Burlington: University of Vermont Department of Psychiatry.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aragona, J. A., & Eyberg, S. M. (1981). Neglected children: Mothers' report of child behavior problems and observed verbal behavior.Child Development, 52, 596–602.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Berliner, L. (1991). Effects of sexual abuse on children.Violence Update, 1, 10–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berliner, L., Manois, O., and Monastersky, C. (1986).Child sexual behavior disturbance: An assessment and treatment model. Seattle: Sexual Assault Center and University of Washington.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briere, J. (1989a).Therapy for adults molested as children: Beyond survival. New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briere, J. (1989b).Moderators of long-term symptomatology in women molested as children. Paper presented at the 97th annual convention of the American Psychological Association, New Orleans, LA, Aug.

  • Burgess, A. W., Hartman, C. R., & McCormack, A. (1987). Abused to abuser: Antecedents of socially deviant behaviors.American Journal of Psychiatry, 144, 1431–1436.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cantwell, H. B. (1988). Child sexual abuse: very young perpetrators.Child Abuse and Neglect, 12, 579–582.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Deluty, R. H. (1979). Children's action tendency scale: A self-report measure of aggressiveness, assertiveness, and submissiveness in children.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 47, 1061–1071.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Deluty, R. H. (1984). Behavioral validation of the Children's Action Tendency Scale.Journal of Behavioral Assessment, 6, 115–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eyberg, S. M., & Robinson, E. A. (1983). Conduct problem behavior: Standardization of a behavioral rating scale with adolescents.Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 12, 347–354.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eyberg, S. M., & Ross, A. W. (1978). Assessment of child behavior problems.Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 7, 113–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Faller, K. C. (1989). Characteristics of a clinical sample of sexually abused children: How boy and girl victims differ.Child Abuse and Neglect, 13, 281–291.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., & Lloyd, M. (1991). Confirmatory factor models of attention deficit and conduct disorder.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 32, 257–274.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, W. N. (1990).Psychotherapy of sexually abused children and their families. New York: Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, W. N. (1995. The clinical use of the child sexual behavior inventory: Frequently asked questions.The APSAC Advisor, 8, 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, W. N., & Luecke, W. J. (1988). Young school-age sexually aggressive children.Professional Psychology Research and Practice, 19, 155–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, W. N., Grambsch, P., Damon, L., & Hewitt, S. (1985). Child Sexual Behavior Inventory: Normative and clinical comparisons.Psychological Assessment, 4, 303–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, W. N., Grambsch, P., Koverola, C., Hewitt, S., Damon, L., Lemond, T., & Broughton, D. (1989).The child sexual behavior inventory: Normative findings, Unpublished manuscript.

  • Gale, J., Thompson, R. J., Moran, T., & Sack, W. H. (1988). Sexual abuse in young children: Its clinical presentation and characteristic patterns.Child Abuse and Neglect, 12(2), 163–170.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gil, E. (1987).A guide for parents of young sex offenders. Walnut Creek, CA: Launch Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, A. S. (1991, May).Kids who molest kids. Workshop presented at O.U.R. House, Barre, VT.

  • Gray, A. S., & Pithers, W. D. (1993). Relapse prevention with sexually aggressive adolescents and children: Expanding treatment and supervision. In H. E. Barbaree, W. L. Marshall, & S. Hudson (Eds.)The juvenile sex offender. New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Haugaard, J. J., & Tilly, C. (1988). Characteristics predicting children's responses to sexual encounters with other children.Child Abuse and Neglect, 12, 209–218.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hinshaw, S. P. (1987). On the distinction between attentional deficits/hyperactivity and conduct problems/aggression in child psychopathology.Psychological Bulletin, 101, 443–463.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, T. C. (1988a). Child perpetrators-children who molest other children.Child Abuse and Neglect, 12, 219–229.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, T. C. (1989a). Female child perpetrators: Children who molest other children.Child Abuse and Neglect, 13, 571–585.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, T. C. (1989b).Subtypes of abuse-reactive children. Los Angeles: Children's Institute. Apr.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kendall-Tackett, K. A., & Simon, A. F. (1988). Molestation at the onset of puberty: Data from 365 adults molested as children.Child Abuse and Neglect, 12, 73–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Knopp, F. H. (1985).The youthful sex offender: The rationale and goals of early intervention and treatment. Orwell, VT: Safer Society Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malamuth, N. (1995).A unified developmental theory of sexual aggression: Models in the making Paper presented at the 14th Annual Research and Treatment Conference of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, New Orleans, Oct.

  • McNeil, C. B., Eyberg, S., Eisenstadt, T. H., Newcomb, K., & Funderburk, B. (1991). Parent-child interaction therapy with behavior problem children: Generalization of treatment effects to the school setting.Journal of Chinical Child Psychology, 20, 140–151.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Adolescent Perpetrator Network (1988). Preliminary report from the National Task Force on Juvenile Sex Offending.Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 39, 1–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powell, G. (1987). Personal communication cited in Friedrich, W. N. (1990).Psychotherapy of sexually abused children and their families. New York: W. W. Norton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Prior, M., & Sanson, A. (1986). Attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity: A critique.Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 27, 307–319.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Purcell, J., Beilke, R., & Friedrich, W. N. (1986).The child sexual behavior inventory. Paper presented at the American Psychological Association Annual Convention. Washington, DC, Aug.

  • Robinson, E. A., Eyberg, S., & Ross, A. W. (1980). The standardization of an inventory of child conduct problem behaviors.Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 9, 22–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, G. (1989a). Victim to victimizer: Rethinking victin treatment.Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 4, 325–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, G. (1989b).Perpetrator prevention. Workshop conducted for the Vermont Center for Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Abuse, Rutland, VT. May.

  • Social and Rehabilitation Services (1995).Vennont Child Abuse and Neglect. Waterbury, TV: Social and Rehabilitation Services, July.

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Department of Education (1994).Sixteenth Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wenar, C. (1994).Developmental psychopathology: From infancy through adolescence. New York: McGraw-Hill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Widom, C. S. (1992). The cycle of violence.National Institute of Justice: Research in Brief (pp. 1–6). Washington, DC: National Institute of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gray, A., Busconi, A., Houchens, P. et al. Children with sexual behavior problems and their caregivers: Demographics, functioning, and clinical patterns. Sex Abuse 9, 267–290 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02674853

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02674853

Key words

Navigation