Sexual Behavior Problems Research Articles

Factors associated with therapy non-completion for children with problematic sexual behaviors

IntroductionChildren with problematic sexual behaviors (PSBs) can benefit, along with their parents or caregivers, from specialized therapeutic services to limit the manifestation of these behaviors. However, for some families, mobilization for therapy represents a significant challenge since a considerable proportion do not complete the therapy intended for them. The present study aims to identify the factors associated with therapy completion, thus allowing a deeper understanding of how to support children and more broadly families to complete their therapeutic process.MethodologyThe sample consists of 67 caregiver-child dyads referred to a specialized Center offering PSBs-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, actively involving the caregiver. Standardized questionnaires were administered to children and their caregiver before and after the therapy.ResultsWhile non-completers represent 31% of our sample, they present very similar profiles to completers in terms of socio-demographic characteristics, behavior problems and symptoms. However, they appear to differ regarding living situations and coping mechanisms. Results show that children who complete therapy are more likely to live in a placement situation, compared to non-completers. Children who completed therapy also report using more coping strategies that aim toward getting social support and less distancing coping strategies than non-completers. Non completers also reported feeling less maternal support compared to completers.DiscussionResults underline the importance of implementing mobilization efforts for families with children with PSBs, along with a focus on developing efficient coping mechanisms.

Problem Sexual Behavior and Engagement in Therapeutic Intervention among Children Aged 4–12

ABSTRACT Early intervention in problem sexual behavior (PSB) is critical; however, little is known about the engagement of children and families in therapeutic intervention for PSB. This research explored the characteristics, presenting issues, and engagement of 242 children aged 4–12 years attending a therapeutic service for PSB. Most frequently, PSB occurred within sibling relationships. Girls were more likely to engage in PSB alone (self-directed or non-targeted behaviors), while boys were more likely to involve other young people (interpersonal PSB). One-third (35%) of clients engaged in completion of therapy. Parental noninvolvement and self-directed or non-targeted PSB predicted early disengagement. Client demographics, sexual abuse, and interpersonal sexual behaviors were not associated with therapy completion. Implications for therapeutic intervention in children’s PSB are discussed.

유아 성 행동에 대한 유치원 경력 교사의 인식, 경험과 요구 분석

Objectives In this research, by examining the perceptions, experiences, and needs of teachers with more than 3 years of experience regarding sexual behavior in children, we understand the application status of guidelines for managing and responding to sexual behavior (problems), find ways to operate them more effectively, and provide practical sexual behavior teacher education. It is intended to be used as basic data. Methods In order to find out the awareness, experience, and needs of experienced teachers regarding children's sexual behavior, 153 teachers who participated in the ‘Early childhood education Grade 1 Teacher Training’ in Gyeonggi-do for a total of 10 days starting January 2, 2024 were surveyed through an online survey with a total of 25 questions.The survey results were analyzed by calculating frequencies and percentages using SPSS 25, and in case of duplicate questions, rankings were calculated based on response frequency. Results Regarding whether they were aware of the difference between children's sexual behavior (problem) and the sexual behavior (problem) based on the main results of recognizing dolls related to play and guidance, the majority of teachers (45%) answered that they were at an average level, and that they considered children's sexual behavior as behavior. Thinking (54%) is the most common. Additionally, all teachers responded that children's sexual behavior (problems) and guidance are needed (100%). The main results regarding the instructor's experience related to infant sexual behavior (problems) and response and guidance include responses indicating that they have experience with infant sexual behavior (problems) (79.%) and response and guidance through consultation with families (20.8%). I think it got the most answers. The most common response was that families celebrate parties (45%) as the main form of recognition and need for educational support for play and guidance of children's sexual behavior (problems), and the most common response was that education was very helpful (52%). . Additionally, the most common need was for improvements in small environments and situations (31%) that represent response and guidance to children's sexual behavior (problems). Conclusions Training related to children's sexual behavior (problems) should be continuously conducted for teachers to strengthen teachers' response and guidance expertise, the need for parent education on the topic of sex education and sexual behavior (problems), and the publication and distribution of various sexual behavior (problem) casebooks. It was suggested that education related to children's sexual behavior (problems) is needed at the pre-service teacher stage.

Problematic sexual behaviours, dissociation, and adult attachment: A path analysis model

BackgroundProblematic sexual behaviours are controversial phenomena, lacking diagnostic consensus, yet they are significant and warrant in-depth scientific research due to their clinically significant consequences. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between potential risk factors of sex addiction and problematic online pornography use, with a specific focus on the role of attachment and dissociation. MethodA sample of 375 participants (Mage = 30 years; SD = 12.441) was involved in the research. The collected data were analysed by implementing a path analysis model. ResultsSignificant and positive total effects in the relationships between fearful/preoccupied attachment patterns and both sex addiction and problematic online pornography use were shown. Furthermore, these associations were significantly mediated by dissociation. Finally, sex addiction and problematic online pornography use were significantly associated with daily thoughts about sex and weekly online pornography use, respectively. LimitationsThe cross-sectional design and the use of only self-report measures in an online survey should be kept in mind while interpreting the results. ConclusionsSuch data provide useful insight into the complex interplay of attachment, dissociation, and problematic sexual behaviours, providing information that may inform and guide targeted clinical interventions.

‘A kindergarten teacher must have 100 eyes and 100 ears!’: Kindergarten teachers' experiences coping with child sexual abuse and problematic sexual behavior

BackgroundChild sexual abuse (CSA) and problematic sexual behavior (PSB) are worldwide phenomena that occur across all ages. Kindergarten teachers' proactive involvement can be crucial to the prevention, disclosure and intervention of CSA and PSB. However, research on their experiences of contending with CSA and PSB remains limited. ObjectiveThis study examines kindergarten teachers' experiences in Israel with the CSA and PSB of their students. Participants and settingSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 teachers: 11 secular Jewish, seven religious Jewish, nine Druze Arab, and four Muslim Arab. MethodsA qualitative analysis was conducted using the interview transcripts as data. ResultsThe analysis revealed three themes illustrating teachers' professional transformations regarding their knowledge of these phenomena: 1) initial shock, uncertainty and sense of responsibility when exposed to CSA and PSB due to missing knowledge, 2) implementation of prevention and intervention strategies regarding CSA and PSB, and 3) embracing a social role to disseminate CSA and PSB knowledge. The findings indicated that the majority of the teachers went from overwhelming shock and fear due to a lack of knowledge in coping with CSA and PSB to a sense of responsibility as a community leader. ConclusionsThe fragmentation of the Israeli education system isolates kindergartens, and the lack of training and education for the teachers left them alone when contending with the CSA and PSB of their students. Nevertheless, the participants exhibited remarkable agency and resourcefulness, gaining the necessary knowledge and acting as knowledge agents within their communities.

(145) Health Practitioner Attitudes and Values Towards Problematic Sexual Behaviours

Abstract Introduction Sexuality is expressed through an individual’s sexual behaviours. Distinguishing “problematic” or atypical sexual behaviours from “typical” sexual behaviours depends on sociocultural conceptions of the norm. Perceptions of problematic sexual behaviour evolve in response to societal change. These perceptions influence and reflect the attitudes and vales of health practitioners. The attitudes and values of health practitioners directly affects clients with problematic sexual behaviours. Therapy approaches are not value-free. Practitioners are influenced by sociocultural norms which create and reinforce stereotypes. These social forces are especially pronounced in the context of problematic sexual behaviours. The nosological classification of sexual “disorders” risks pathologizing normal variants of sexual behaviours. Despite this, research examining health practitioner attitudes and values toward problematic sexual behaviours is scant. Existing measures of attitudes either focus on a broad range of sexual behaviours or on sexual health overall. We therefore sought to understand the themes underlying health practitioner attitudes and values toward problematic sexual behaviours. Objective To assess the themes influencing health practitioner attitudes and values towards problematic sexual behaviours. Methods An inductive qualitative approach provided the framework using in-depth, semi-structured interviews. An interview schedule was based on deductive domains gleaned from a review research exploring health practitioner attitudes and values toward problematic sexual behaviour, and the research team’s experience of the field. A case vignette of a distressed person reporting a problematic sexual behaviour was created to trigger discussion. A diverse range of health practitioners working with people reporting problematic sexual behaviours was recruited. This included five medical doctors (general practice, psychiatry, sexual health) and two sexual health nurses. A coding matrix was generated based on a priori review of the literature and a posteriori review of the interviews. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts was performed using the software program NVivo. Results Five themes emerged from the interviews. Two deductive themes were identified: methods of inquiry about sexual behaviours; discrepancies in defining problematic sexual behaviours. Myriad frameworks underpin a practitioner’s exploration of sexual behaviour issues. Interviewees also could not operationalise a consistent definition of the “problem”. Three inductive themes emerged: managing judgement in consultations; reflections on practitioner knowledge; the tension between fantasies and problematic sexual behaviours. Interviewees referred to “non-judgemental care” as essential in addressing sexual behaviour problems. There was consistent reference to a “limited understanding” of problematic sexual behaviours. A need to differentiate thoughts (fantasies) from actions (behaviours) for risk stratification was apparent. Conclusions The attitudes and values of health practitioners are influenced by sociocultural conceptions of normative sexual expression. These attitudes and values affect practitioner responses to people with problematic sexual behaviours. To better understand this, we propose three recommendations: the development of tailored supports to assist practitioners in managing judgements; an educational module to build understanding of problematic sexual behaviours; the development of a survey instrument to investigate the attitudes and values of health practitioners more broadly in responding to problematic sexual behaviours. Disclosure No.

Kualitas Komunikasi Keluarga terhadap Pencegahan Perilaku Seksual Berisiko pada Remaja

Risky sexual behavior is a big problem for adolescents and a challenge for parents in taking care of their adolescents. Efforts can be made to prevent the problem of risky sexual behavior by improving the quality of family communication at home. Communication is important so that adolescents are more open and close to their parents, so they can avoid negative behavior The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the quality of family communication and the prevention of risky sexual behavior in adolescents. The type of research is descriptive-analytic with cross-sectional design. The population in this study was 124 people with a total research sample of 61 people taken using random sampling technique. The test was conducted with SPSS using the Pearson correlation test. The results show that there is a relationship between the quality of family communication and the prevention of adolescent risky sexual behavior, P-Value 0.04. Further research needs to be done by paying attention to nursing interventions that can support the improvement of family communication towards adolescents so that efforts to prevent risky sexual behavior in adolescents increase.

Problematic Sexualized Behavior in Children: Essentials for the Pediatric Forensic Nurse.

Problematic sexual behavior (PSB) in children and adolescents is a significant public health problem. PSB is defined as harmful or developmentally inappropriate behaviors involving sexual organs or regions of the body exhibited by children or adolescents. PSB may be harmful to self or others or be abusive toward another child, adolescent, or adult. Adolescents, typically defined as children 12 years old or older, engaging in PSB can be vulnerable to formal court adjudication as their behaviors may be considered a sexual offense. PSB can result in significant negative consequences for all children and adolescents involved as well as their families. This article will describe sexual behavior in children, normative and problematic, and explore implications for forensic nursing practice.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Group for Problematic Sexual Behavior: Treatment Principles and Participant Experiences

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Group for Problematic Sexual Behavior: Treatment Principles and Participant Experiences

Factors Related to General Sexual Behavior of Children Under 10 Years Old in Korea

ABSTRACT The risk factors for intrusive or problematic sexual behavior in a specific population, including abused or clinically referred children, have been occasionally explored. However, sexual behaviors broadly in the general population have not been investigated. This study aimed to determine whether child characteristics, exposure to trauma, family factors, and exposure to sexuality, which were proposed as predictors of sexual behavior problems in previous studies, significantly affected the general sexual behaviors of children under 10 years in the Korean population. The parents of 652 children aged 3–9 years in a Korean community completed questionnaires, including the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory, the Korean version of the Child Behavior Checklist, Trauma Symptom for Young Children, the Korean version of the Family Inventory of Life and Change, the Dysfunctional Parenting Scale, and exposure to trauma and sexuality. Regression analysis indicated that children’s age, externalizing behavior problems, post-traumatic symptoms, exposure to trauma, and exposure to sexuality were significant predictors of overall sexual behaviors. Therefore, it may be helpful to explore trauma and exposure to sexuality even to understand a child’s general sexual behavior. In addition, psychoeducation can help parents monitor and reset family boundaries and sexual exposure that can affect children’s sexual behavior.

Seeking an Integrated Approach to Trauma and Problematic Sexual Behaviors in Adolescents: Learning from Practitioners

Seeking an Integrated Approach to Trauma and Problematic Sexual Behaviors in Adolescents: Learning from Practitioners

Problematic sexual behaviors of adolescents with intellectual disability in Saudi Arabia: uncovering the hidden

Problematic sexual behaviors signal the need to understand the thoughts and needs of adolescents with intellectual disability. This study investigates the experiences of the family members and teachers who must manage those issues. We employed a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to gain insight into the thoughts and perceptions of two mothers, three brothers, and seven teachers. We conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews and convened focus groups to collect data. The findings refer to the following themes: the forms that problematic sexual behavior takes, the feelings that are associated with it, its management, the detection of aberrant conduct, the identification of its causes, and suggestions for improvements. The findings may refine the academic understanding of the behaviors in question, of their causes, of the experiences of relatives and teachers, and of the means of addressing the attendant problems. This study may also prove useful to family members and teachers of individuals with intellectual disability. Further implications and recommendations that emerge from the findings are also discussed.

Development and Implementation of a Preventive Intervention for Youth with Concerns About Their Sexual Thoughts and Behaviors: A Practitioner Narrative

This practitioner narrative describes the development of an innovative, primary and secondary prevention resource to provide confidential resources to youth with questions about potentially problematic sexual interests and behaviors. WhatsOK is a website and free confidential helpline for youth who are potentially at risk to sexually harm or have harmed someone in the past. By encouraging self-efficacy, helpline counselors respond to these inquires in order to prevent harmful events or lessen the impact. This practitioner narrative begins with an explanation of the planning process, then describes the implementation, piloting and refining the resource, and, finally, explains how evaluation was incorporated. The development of the WhatsOK helpline services was conducted with the goal of creating an evidence-informed resource for youth with concerns about sexual thoughts and behaviors.

A conceptual analysis of system responses to the issue of problematic sexual behaviors in children and recommendations for future work in Children's Advocacy Center multidisciplinary teams.

Problematic sexual behavior (PSB) in children is a common, yet frequently misunderstood and mishandled issue facing communities. Because of the intersection of children both causing harm and being harmed, societies across the globe struggle with whether to punish or support during these times. For Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs), whose mandate it is to support victimized children, this tension is exacerbated. CACs have historically relied on identifying a "perpetrator" and "victim" when providing their services, however PSB displaying youth do not fit this classic dichotomy. Compared with other children, PSB displaying youth are more likely to experience greater incidents and types of violent childhood trauma, have increased parent instability, decreased familial support, and struggle with co-occurring mental health diagnoses. Due to the stigma and fear surrounding sexual behaviors in children and systemic barriers including varied definitions of PSB, uncertainty regarding how to respond within the context of child-serving roles, and the criminalization of children's behaviors, access to supportive services is complicated and challenging. Treatment completion rates for this population are as low as 13%, despite most methods being short-term, non-invasive, and community based. This conceptual analysis paper identifies five key themes in the literature that influence these barriers and proposes an interdisciplinary approach for CAC multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) to better support this vulnerable population.

A Non-Clinical Referral Tool to Help Identify Problematic Child Sexual Behavior: Development, Training, and Initial User Feedback

ABSTRACT Early identification of children and youth who engage in problematic sexual behavior is important for all parties involved, such as children who exhibit and are impacted by the behavior. There are several reliable and valid identification tools that can be used to recognize problematic sexual behavior in children and youth (PSB-CY) in clinical practice; however, professionals who work with children in non-clinical settings (i.e., child development centers, youth programs, and schools) often have limited resources and tools when they encounter PSB-CY. This paper describes the development, content, and user feedback of a referral tool (RT) that was designed to help identify incidents of PSB-CY for use with military agencies and schools. Specifically, the RT was designed to help professionals, who may have observed or who may have been made aware of sexual behaviors in children and youth, organize their observations of the behavior in alignment with evidence-based information about PSB-CY and consistently document these occurrences. The RT guides users in determining if the observed behavior is normative, cautionary, or problematic and promotes informed decisions about whether the behavior needs to be referred to those who have experience using clinical tools for further review and the identification of next steps for supporting the children and families involved. Early adopters provided feedback on the use of the RT. The feedback suggested that the tool was user-friendly, understandable, and helpful as they made objective decisions about how to identify and handle referrals of PSB-CY.

Children with sexual behavior problems: Ties to child maltreatment, family functioning, and help-seeking.

Although the literature on children's sexual behavior problems (SBPs) has indicated that maltreatment and family dysfunction are linked to SBPs, several facets of these factors have remained unexamined. Prior research has largely focused on SBPs more broadly, though interpersonal SBPs (ISBPs) are likely a distinct, more severe SBP subtype. The aim of the current study was to examine potentially relevant, unexplored factors, including the number of types of and total allegations of maltreatment as well as familial characteristics (i.e., parenting attitudes and behaviors, discipline methods, family functioning, and help-seeking) in relation to SBPs and ISBPs. The present study included 8-year-old children (N = 1,011, 51.1% female, 53.8% Black) and their caregivers from the Longitudinal Studies of Child Abuse and Neglect (LONGSCAN) study. In the model for SBPs, externalizing symptoms, the number of types of maltreatment allegations, maladaptive discipline methods, and help-seeking were associated with SBPs, whereas child's gender, race/ethnicity, internalizing symptoms, total maltreatment allegations, income, family functioning, and parenting attitudes were unrelated, r2 = .23. When ISBPs were examined, only child's gender and externalizing symptoms were tied to ISBPs, r2 = .09. However, child's race/ethnicity and internalizing symptoms, as well as maltreatment experiences, family factors, and help-seeking, were not associated with ISBPs. These findings highlight the importance of broader externalizing symptoms for both SBPs and ISBPs as well as the role of multiple types of maltreatment, parenting behavior, and help-seeking in the context of general SBPs.

Good Parenting as A Solution to Prevent Children as Sexual Abuse

This study aims to determine the relationship between parenting patterns and sexual abuse behavior in children in Tegal Regency, Central Java Province. To answer these problems, this paper uses a case approach method, as well as a conceptual approach. The results of this study can be concluded that parenting is a capital for children to reach the maturity process. Family is the first social environment that individuals encounter since they were born into the world. The first family environment is the father, mother and the individual himself. The relationship between the individual and his parents is a reciprocal relationship where there is interaction in it. So it is proper as a good parent to be able to apply parenting that will form a good child's personality starting from an early age. The influence of increasingly sophisticated digital technology also has an impact on sexual violence against children, so parents are also required to monitor addictive behavior related to digital technology and prevent negative impacts due to long-term use of digital devices. Suggestions for parents to need to determine the right parenting pattern and improve the quality and quantity of communication with children and have a good trusting relationship so that the problem of sexual abuse behavior in children can be overcome and avoided.

Impressions of child advocacy center leaders: How problematic sexual behavior in children and adolescents is perceived by community professionals

BackgroundConsistent with the goals of National Children's Alliance, Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) are optimal for addressing needs related to problematic sexual behavior (PSB) of youth due to their multidisciplinary approach and emphasis on community-level evidence-based interventions (Kelley et al., 2019). To promote child well-being and safety, decisions of the CAC's multidisciplinary team must be based on an accurate understanding of youth with PSB, child sexual development, and best-practice responses. However, misperceptions about youth who have engaged in PSB appear to broadly persist (Hackett, Masson, et al., 2013), leading to obstacles for CACs in addressing PSB. ObjectiveTo better understand and address the training and service needs of CACs across the country, the goal of this study was to assess CAC community professionals' (e.g., MDT members) perceptions of children and adolescents with PSB, as reported by CAC leaders. Participants and settingParticipants were 351 CACs from 47 US states, a representative sample based on regional and community distributions. MethodA designated point-of-contact (e.g., the Director) for each CAC completed an online survey reflecting on their CAC's professional community's perceptions of youth with PSB. ResultsFindings suggested that a number of misperceptions about youth with PSB, particularly adolescents, are commonly reported for CAC professional communities. Prevalent misperceptions surrounded the etiology of PSB, treatment-related needs, and differences between youth with PSB and adults. ConclusionsResults can be used to inform policy, practice, training, and resource utilization to address youth with PSB in CACs, with specific recommendations provided to enhance an evidence-based approach.

A Classification System to Guide Treatment Needs for Juveniles Who Have Engaged in Abusive Sexual Behavior

Developing an empirically derived classification system that accounts for the heterogeneity of youth could benefit the court, probation officers, and clinicians in making informed management and treatment decisions. This study used a latent class analysis to examine histories and treatment needs patterns among 561 youths who engaged in problematic sexual behavior (PSB) from five U.S. states. Three classes emerged and included: (a) low treatment need (LTN) youth without dysfunctional histories, (b) high transgressions and treatment needs (HTTN) youth with histories of conduct problems, and (c) abuse reactive (AR) youth with histories of maltreatment. Over one year, the LTN group had the lowest levels of treatment needs, the HTTN group had the highest, and the AR group had lower sexual and socioecological but higher general behavior treatment needs. Findings from this study can assist in allocating resources and help guide the individualization of interventions for youth with PSB.

Measuring problematic sexual behaviour: an item response theory examination of the Bergen–Yale sex addiction scale

ABSTRACT Background and aims Previous research investigated the prevalence and risk factors of problematic sexual behaviour (PSB) using the Bergen–Yale Sex Addiction Scale (BYSAS), among other instruments. However, a dearth of literature employed item response theory (IRT) to assess the BYSAS psychometric properties. The present study adopts an IRT framework to comprehensively examine the measurement aspects (including discrimination and severity) and the prevalence of PSB among a relatively large adult sample. Methods Participants (N = 968, 64.3% men, Mage = 29.5 years, age range = 18–64 years) completed the BYSAS. Results CFA determined that the BYSAS is a unidimensional construct. Additionally, IRT analysis showed variability in discrimination, severity, and reliability across BYSAS items, with a raw score exceeding 20, indicating a high risk of PSB. Accordingly, using this raw score 1.8% of the participants were at-risk of PSB. Conclusions Findings supported the differential use of BYSAS criteria for assessment purposes, while only a minority of participants presented to be at risk of problematic sexual behaviour difficulties.