THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CAUSES AND INTERPERSONAL DYNAMICS OF INCEST ARE EXAMINED IN A BOOK DIRECTED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC.
THE BOOK IS BASED ON A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON INCEST, AN EXAMINATION OF CHILD WELFARE CASE RECORDS, AND A SURVEY OF 112 FAMILIES IN WHICH INCEST HAD OCCURRED. INCLUDED IN THE SURVEY WERE 20 PARENTS TREATED BY THE AUTHORS IN INTENSIVE GROUP THERAPY AND 7 YOUNG WOMEN WHO HAD HAD INCESTUOUS EXPERIENCES AS CHILDREN AND WHO RECEIVED INDIVIDUAL THERAPY. THE VARIOUS FORMS OF INCEST ARE DESCRIBED, AND THE ORIGINS OF THE TABOO AGAINST INCEST ARE TRACED. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INCEST AND SEXUAL MISUSE/ABUSE IS CONSIDERED, TOGETHER WITH THE PROBLEMS PARENTS FACE IN DRAWING THE LINE BETWEEN AFFECTION AND SEXUAL STIMULATION. THE PERSONALITY STRUCTURES OF PARENTS MOST LIKELY TO BECOME INVOLVED IN INCESTUOUS RELATIONSHIPS ARE DESCRIBED, AS ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INCESTUOUS FAMILIES. CONDITIONS THAT ACT AS PREDISPOSING AND PRECIPITATING AGENTS LEADING TO INCEST ARE DISCUSSED. CUES THAT INCEST IS TAKING PLACE ARE DESCRIBED. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND EMOTIONAL MARKS LEFT BY VARIOUS TYPES OF INCESTUOUS EXPERIENCES ARE DESCRIBED, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO FACTORS THAT MINIMIZE OR EXACERBATE THE DAMAGE. PARENTS ARE OFFERED ADVICE ON HOW TO PREVENT INCEST IN THEIR FAMILIES, HOW TO INSURE THE SEXUAL WELFARE OF THEIR CHILDREN AND THEMSELVES, AND WHAT CAN BE DONE IF INCEST DOES OCCUR. CASE EXAMPLES ARE INTERSPERSED THROUGHOUT THE TEXT. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, FIGURES, AND AN INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)