Risk for Sexual Abuse: As Study of Adolescent Offenders

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Healthy People 2010 has prioritized sexual violence and child maltreatment (including sexual abuse) as important targets for prevention and intervention. In its Injury Agenda for 2004, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that a major barrier to prevention efforts is the lack of information about the causes and correlates of child sexual abuse, especially in young perpetrators. This project is designed to address this gap by applying attachment theory to identify the unique and shared risk factors for child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and youth violence (one of the research objectives highlighted in RFA 04045). This objective will be accomplished through a multi-method, cross-sectional study of 300 adolescent males: those who have sexually abused children, those who have sexually assaulted peers or adults, and those who have committed other types of delinquent behavior (non-sexual). Data will be collected through a review of available records, semistructured and structured interview, and computer-administered questionnaire. The project is designed to identify the unique and shared risk factors for perpetrating child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and delinquent behavior by investigating perpetrator group differences in the following constructs : For Aim 1, (1) attitudes toward intimate relationships (attachment style) and (2) their involvement with peers, including consensual sexual experiences; for Aim 2, (3) attitudes toward masculinity, including beliefs about the importance of competition, violence, and face-saving as an indication of masculinity and confidence in their own masculinity and (4) beliefs about sexuality, selfreported sexual behavior (including paraphilias), and sexual interests and fantasies (including ivarious paraphilias). This collaboration between the Program in Human Sexuality, treatment programs for juvenile sex offenders, and juvenile probation departments will promote primary and secondary prevention through dissemination of project results in collaboration with Stop It Now, Minnesota, a primary prevention program (Aim 3).