Evolving in Typological Research: The Development, Exploratory Validation, and Utility of a Typology Tool for Adolescents With Problematic Sexual Behaviors

Abstract

Research has long demonstrated that adolescents with sexual problem behaviors (PSB-A) have variations in developmental antecedents and types of sexually problematic behaviors. The knowledge of adult and adolescent between-group variation has contributed to further complexities in classifying within-group differences in adolescents with typological research being at the forefront of this conversation. Despite some research using existing data sources to create typological distinctions via Latent Class Analysis (LCA), etiological research has not been prospectively integrated consistently or comprehensively when constructing and validating domains that then generate typological distinctions via LCA. The current study partnered with a midwestern specialized court docket to conduct an exploratory formative evaluation in developing and preliminarily validating a PSB-A typology tool that was then used to generate broad typological classifications of PSB-A. This work is an initial exploration study that will be expanded to a larger validation project using larger samples and prospective data collection procedures with the hope of offering court and clinical utility to aid in individualizing treatment and supervision of PSB-A.