Abstract
Little is known about the development of childhood sexual behavior problems (SBP) in terms of continuity and discontinuity into adolescence. Prior studies have espoused a nondevelopmental approach focusing on the clinical profiles of these youths at the time of their referral. To address this gap, the current study proposes an examination of the developmental covariates involved in the continuity of SBP among a sample of 340 children and adolescents referred to Child Protection Services (CPS) in Quebec, Canada. Children’s CPS contacts from birth up to age 17 were inspected, allowing to recreate the life history of social and familial adversities during that period. Logistic regression models were performed and helped to identify developmental covariates of childhood-onset SBP and its persistence into adolescence. Findings suggest that children with childhood-onset SBP that persisted into adolescence have experienced various life adversities. The study findings provide some preliminary evidence of the developmental pathways of SBP.
Highlights
Clinical studies on the effects of child sexual abuse has led to research on sexual behavior problems (SBP) among children and adolescents (e.g., Friedrich et al, 1991), namely sexual behaviors that are developmentally inappropriate, repetitive, intrusive, coercive, and/or aggressive (Chaffin et al, 2000; Lussier et al, 2017; Pithers et al, 1998)
As opposed to physical and psychological abuse, was the only type of victimization not significantly correlated to the onset of SBP in any period
Based on retrospective-longitudinal data for a sample of youth referred to Child Protection Services (CPS), the present findings show that children whose SBP started in childhood and persisted into adolescence have often experienced various adversities in the family environment and tend to display nonsexual behavior problems
Summary
Clinical studies on the effects of child sexual abuse has led to research on sexual behavior problems (SBP) among children and adolescents (e.g., Friedrich et al, 1991), namely sexual behaviors that are developmentally inappropriate, repetitive, intrusive, coercive, and/or aggressive (Chaffin et al, 2000; Lussier et al, 2017; Pithers et al, 1998). Youth experiencing various life adversities and behavior problems are often placed in out-of-home living environments to ensure their safety, a form of placement that has been associated with the development of SBP (Grossi et al, 2017; Hall et al, 2018; Vizard, Hickey, French, & McCrory, 2007) These studies highlight the need to broaden the scope of investigation in factors involved in the development of SBP. Prior studies suggest that childhood-onset SBP is more likely to be associated with adversity in early life, such as parental neglect and abuse, than is the case for adolescence-onset SBP (Lussier et al, 2019)
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