Journal of Child Sexual Abuse最新文献

This study examines the correlations between grooming behaviors within juvenile correctional facilities and their impact on psychological distress among incarcerated youth, including a comparison between sexual minority (N = 648) and heterosexual (N = 4,690) subsamples. Using the National Survey of Youth in Custody-3 (BJS, 2018), the analysis finds that various grooming behaviors - including receiving photos or letters from staff, staff sharing personal details, staff providing contraband, staff giving gifts, staff offering special protection, staff inappropriately discussing sex topics, and youth giving letters or photos to staff - are significantly correlated with varying levels of distress. Further, receiving a special gift from a staff member and being offered special protection from staff both had significantly greater effects on the correlation with distress for the heterosexual subsample; however, staff sharing emotional feelings and juveniles giving photos or letters to staff had significantly greater impacts on the correlation with distress for the sexual minority subsample.

Cannabis use and aggression share common vulnerability factors, including childhood sexual abuse. While genetic predispositions likely shape the association between aggression and cannabis use, specific genes have not been conclusively identified. The underlying causal pathways connecting childhood sexual abuse to both cannabis use and aggression remain poorly understood. Prior research suggests that the MAOA (Monoamine oxidase A) gene interacts with childhood maltreatment to predispose young adults to aggression and substance use. Building on this premise, a preexisting dataset of 498 emerging adults was utilized to investigate whether different MAOA genotypes interact with sexual abuse during childhood to predispose to cannabis use as a means of coping with negative affect and impact aggression levels. Participants underwent genotyping for MAOA alleles associated with either low (MAOA-L) or high (MAOA-H) enzyme activity. They were also surveyed for childhood sex abuse, reactive and proactive aggression, and cannabis use. Among male carriers of MAOA-L variants who described experiencing childhood sexual abuse, those who used cannabis reported a higher likelihood of doing so for coping purposes compared to other males and all females. Surprisingly, MAOA-L genotypes in males appeared to buffer the impact of sexual abuse and high cannabis consumption on various measures of aggression. These findings underscore the complex role of MAOA in moderating the relationship between trauma, substance use, and aggression. If validated by further studies, these results could inform the development of targeted pharmacological and behavioral treatments for individuals with trauma histories and genetic predispositions to aggression.

Experiencing childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a risk factor for the development of substance use disorder (SUD). Men in particular tend to use substances in an effort to self-medicate trauma-related distress. Data suggest that up to 20-25% of men in SUD treatment have histories of CSA. Male survivors of sexual violence face unique challenges related to gender norms, masculinity, and homophobia that influence the healing process. Although there is a growing body of research on the process of male healing, no studies up to this point have specifically explored how men in long-term addiction recovery describe what it means to heal from sexual trauma. To fill this gap, this study is built on semi-structured interviews with 25 men in recovery from SUD with histories of CSA. Grounded theory procedures revealed four overall themes of the healing journey from sexual trauma of men in SUD recovery: (1) Working toward Acceptance; (2) Practicing Forgiveness; (3) Reexamining Masculinity; and (4) Building a Community of Healing. Results suggest that healing from CSA for male survivors in recovery from SUD occurs in the context of community when survivors come forward and beat the shame associated with sexual trauma. Findings also underline the need to continue to challenge societal misbeliefs surrounding the rates and effects of sexual violence perpetrated on boys. Future research should explore differences in the male healing journey based on perpetrator characteristics and should also investigate feasible interventions to address healing from CSA in SUD treatment.

We explored whether nostalgia (i.e. sentimental longing) for life lived prior to sexual assault (SA) is associated with better or worse well-being. In Study 1 (N_T1 = 237; N_T2 = 134), a one-month prospective study, nostalgia was negatively associated with well-being at both timepoints (i.e. more PTSD symptoms and negative affect; less self-compassion, positive affect, and acceptance). These results held when controlling for searching and finding meaning in the SA. Additionally, decreased nostalgia over time predicted (reduced) PTSD symptoms. In Study 2 (N = 196; n_manip = 96, n_control = 100), participants manipulated to feel continuous with their pre-trauma self (compared to a control condition) reported less nostalgia and negative affect, and more positive affect, self-compassion, and acceptance compared to those in the control condition. Nostalgia mediated the relation between condition and measures of well-being. Results suggest that nostalgia's effect on well-being may depend on what people are nostalgic about.

Depression in sexually abused youth has a complex etiology involving various mechanisms related to adverse familial psychosocial factors and the severity of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). This study aimed to identify mediating mechanisms between CSA severity, adverse familial psychosocial factors and depressive symptoms in Turkish children and adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse. The files of 340 CSA cases, aged 6-18, who applied to the forensic outpatient clinic between 2014-2020 were retrospectively evaluated. Psychiatric diagnoses were made according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria. Depressive symptoms were evaluated through clinical examinations and Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Sexual abuse severity was measured with the Sexual Abuse Severity Score (SASS) algorithm based on the information obtained from files. Both intrafamilial violence (IFV) (B = 2.67, 95%CI [0.56-4.77]) and chaotic family environment (CFE) (B = 2.57, 95%CI [0.43-4.72]) had significant effects on CDI scores under significant and full-mediating effects of verbal/physical coercion (B = 1.16, 95%CI [0.17-2.81] for IFV→CDI; B = 1.44, 95%CI [0.24-3.34] for CFE→CDI) and qualitative severity of sexual abuse (B = 0.91, 95%CI [0.17-2.06] for IFV→CDI; B = 1.04, 95%CI [0.14-2.44] for CFE→CDI). However, total SASS had no significant mediation in the relationship between adverse familial psychosocial factors and CDI scores. These findings provide evidence that both IFV and CFE appear to have significant associations with depressive symptoms, within the significant mediating roles of both verbal/physical coercion and qualitative severity of sexual abuse.

This study explores whether components of lifestyle exposure theory can operate as predictors of adolescent sexual violence perpetration. Multivariate logistic regression models for rare events were used to assess the impact that risky behaviors, victimization, and sexual activity have on adolescent sexual violence perpetration and to explore sex differences in offending. In a sample of 85,004 U.S. adolescents' responses to the 2022 minnesota Student Survey, multivariate logistic analyses for rare events revealed that older students and males were more likely to engage in sexual violence. Several risky behaviors (i.e. fighting, drug use, running away from home), exposure to domestic violence, parental and sexual abuse, and sexual behaviors increased the risk of adolescent sexual violence perpetration. Interestingly, some factors had slightly similar effects across sex (i.e. age, running away, parental and sexual abuse, early sexual initiation, and transactional sex). The findings are discussed in the context of existing research on adolescents who commit sexual assault, with recommendations for policy and future research areas.

Research comparing penetrative technology-assisted child sexual abuse (TA-CSA) and penetrative child sexual abuse (CSA) is limited. Existing studies indicate similarities among victims and the consequences of their abuse. This study investigates the experiences of victims of penetrative TA-CSA and penetrative CSA, examining their sociodemographic characteristics, the nature of the abuse, and mental health and psychosocial consequences. Data was derived from the German Sexual Abuse Telephone Helpline between 2020 and 2023, with information gathered anonymously during calls with the caller's consent. The sample consisted of N = 302 callers reporting experiences of penetrative CSA or penetrative TA-CSA. Exact Chi-Square tests and Mann-Whitney-U tests were used to compare both groups in terms of demographics, characteristics of the abuse, and reported consequences. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between consequences and technology use. Results show that penetrative TA-CSA is objectively associated with more severe abuse circumstances, including multiple perpetrators, higher frequency of abuse, and earlier age of onset. The latter contributed to the specific consequences being reported by victims. No differences in terms of gender, living environment, or education were found between both groups. While the involvement of technology in penetrative abuse is related to its severity, it does not directly affect reported consequences. Future research should further examine the nuanced impact of technology use.

Although some studies have investigated personality pathology in individuals who have committed sexual contact offenses against children, few examined whether personality pathology relates to different groups, including individuals who have committed child sexual exploitation material (CSEM) offenses. This study compared four male groups, namely a CSEM (n = 33), sexual contact (n = 30), non-sexual violent (n = 64), and community group (n = 143) using self-report questionnaires assessing personality pathology, including impairments in personality functioning (i.e. self-control, identity integration, responsibility, relational capacities, and social concordance), and pathological personality traits (i.e. psychopathic and narcissistic traits). Correlational and multivariate analyses of variance were conducted to examine group differences. No significant differences were found between the CSEM and sexual contact groups. Compared to the community group, the other three groups showed more impairments in personality functioning. The violent group reported higher levels of psychopathic and narcissistic traits than the other groups. The community group showed more overt narcissistic traits compared to the other groups. This study indicates no differences in personality pathology between the CSEM and sexual contact groups, suggesting that interventions may not need to vary between these groups. Replication and exploration of additional constructs are necessary before drawing definitive conclusions.

Chilean studies show high levels of sexual victimization among adolescents. Despite this, there is little research exploring differences between adolescents belonging to Indigenous communities and the general population. This is relevant because 12.8% of the Chilean population is from an Indigenous community. In this study, data from 13,385 adolescents all over the country (15.8% indigenous) were analyzed. The prevalence of seven forms of sexual victimization throughout life was examined. Adolescents from Indigenous communities presented a higher prevalence of statutory rape, sexual abuse by an unknown adult, sexual abuse by a known adult, and rape although the effect size was small in all cases and the difference in prevalence rates was less than 2.5%. The results suggest that although attention should be paid to these differences, factors that may contribute to the vulnerability of adolescents from both groups should be explored. For example, in this study, adolescents from Indigenous communities came from a lower income segment compared to their non-Indigenous peers. In Chile, extreme poverty is associated with vulnerability factors for abuse in adolescents of any ethnic origin, so public programs and policies should consider not only ethnicity, but also other factors such as gender, socioeconomic level, and social support network.

This study assesses the impact of group therapy on young survivors of sexual abuse at a youth clinic in Sweden, focusing on self-reported outcomes and implications for primary health care. Interviews with 12 female participants aged 17-24 provided insights into the benefits of group therapy, including reduced feelings of loneliness and shame, enhanced understanding of abuse reactions and trajectories, and improved coping mechanisms. The findings support integrating group therapy into primary care settings alongside individual counseling, emphasizing the need for accessible, youth-oriented services with robust referral systems to effectively address the comprehensive psychosocial and health needs of young survivors.