NCJ Number
196257
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2002 Pages: 187-197
Date Published
August 2002
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the history, adjustment, and social environment of preschool children with sexual behavior problems (SBP).
Abstract
Sexual behavior in children is defined as problematic when it occurs at a greater frequency or at a much earlier age than would be developmentally expected; interferes with children's development; occurs with the use of coercion, intimidation, or force; is associated with emotional distress; and reoccurs in secrecy after intervention by caregivers. For the current study, 37 young children with SBP were evaluated with The Child Sexual Behavior Inventory-III-R, Child Behavior Checklist-Parent Form, the Weekly Behavior Report, the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, the Abuse Dimensions Inventory, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition, and the Parenting Stress Index: Short Form. As expected, significant emotional and behavior problems were evident, and caregivers reported high levels of stress related to parenting. Contrary to findings among school-age samples, more of the children were female (65 percent) than male (35 percent). Many (62 percent) did not have substantiated histories of sexual abuse. Many children had experienced physical abuse (47 percent) and/or witnessed interparental violence (58 percent). Only four (11 percent) had no known history of sexual abuse, physical abuse, or witnessing domestic violence. Although additional research is necessary, these findings indicate the need to consider the developmentally distinctive presentation of young children with SBP. 2 tables and 59 references