Abuse refers to any form of physical, emotional, sexual and economic maltreatment that actually damages the child's health, life, development and / or dignity. The prevention of abuse will be possible through the recognition of abuse and abuser by the child and strengthening of the "active strategies" used by the child to act against…

A positive school climate impacts students by promoting positive relations among students, staff and faculty of the school. The current study used latent class analysis and multinomial regression with R3STEP to analyse patterns of negative behaviours in schools and test the association of these patterns with structural variables like school size,…

Circumstances under which a sexual assault takes place and how these circumstances affect offenders' reactions to victim resistance are not well understood. Previous studies have not thoroughly examined the interactions that take place between situational factors and resistance. Using a combination of logistic regression and Chi-square Automatic…

We have previously discussed the application of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) with adults who have committed sexual offense behaviors (Newring & Wheeler, 2010). The present entry borrows heavily from the foundation presented in that chapter, and extends this approach to working with adolescents, youth, and juveniles with sexual offense…

Although there has been an increase in research on sex offenders' modus operandi, geographic decision making, and hunting behavior, most studies still tend to emphasize criminal motivation while overlooking the role of situational and environmental factors. Studies of mixed samples of rapists and child molesters typically neglect to conduct…

Two hundred and fifteen ninth grade students were surveyed to examine the relationship between television use and gender role attitudes and behavior in dating situations. Findings indicate the existence of a relationship between watching "romantic" television programming and having more traditional gender role attitudes in dating situations.…

Adolescence is a transitional period when the pressure to engage in romantic and sexual relationships can leave teenagers feeling confused and at risk for sexual coercion. Our studies investigated characteristics of male and female perpetrators and victims of peer sexual coercion, focusing on self-esteem, sexist attitudes, and involvement in…

Prosecuting and defense attorneys across Indiana were surveyed concerning the acceptability of specific behaviors associated with child abuse. Among respondents (n=154) prosecutors had more severe judgments than defense attorneys on 32 of the 42 behaviors. Cognitive dissonance theory is proposed as an explanation for these findings. (Author/DB)

Reviews developmental sexual behavior of young children; intense preoccupation with sex is the most universal indicator of sexual abuse in children. School counselors are called upon to play a critical and unique role, including setting standards of practice for recording, referring, and coordinating cases. (Author/JDM)

The scope, nature, and incidence of sexual abuse of deaf children is addressed and the behavioral/emotional characteristics of sexually abused children and adolescents described. Prevention, intervention, and reporting are discussed and resources for assistance, consultation, or diagnostic/treatment services for suspected or identified victims of…

In this article, theories of sexual abuse of children and treatment programs are reviewed. Familial patterns and signs of psychological distress are identified. (Author)

A study compared the sandplay behavior and pictures of 26 children (ages 10-11) who had experienced sexual, physical, and/or emotional abuse and 26 typical children. The children who had experienced abuse had difficulty staying within the boundary of the sandbox, displayed more regressed play, and presented more disorganized pictures. (Author/CR)

Of 483 inmates who were referred to a sex offender treatment program and followed for an average of 44 months of opportunity to reoffend, 38% were arrested for new violent or sexual offenses. After statistically controlling for the static variables that predicted reoffending, the treatment program was associated with a higher rate of sexual…

Summarizes highlights of a discussion among 11 leaders in the field of child sexual abuse concerning the behavioral manifestations of child sexual abuse. (DB)

Child molesters, rapists, and three control groups were assessed on measures of heterosocial skills, social anxiety, hostility, impulsivity, and attitudinal variables via role-play and paper-and-pencil measures. Heterosocial skill deficits and specific anxieties and fears were observed in child molesters and rapists. Measures of hostility or…