The problem of this study was to prepare a comprehensive family living textbook for use by high school students. The primary purposes of the study were the following (1) to provide teenagers with factual information concerning sexuality which will better equip them to make responsible decision; (2) to prepare young people to become better marriage partners, better parents and ultimately to produce stronger families for the future.

Adolescents commit nearly one-fifth of the sex crimes each year. Among those offenders exists a group of adolescent sex offenders with callous and unemotional (CU) traits who seem to show a more severe pattern of sexual offending. The current study attempts to test the importance of these traits by comparing adolescent sex offenders high or low on CU traits based on victim and offense characteristics, and offending history. A sample of 150 detained adolescents with a current sexual offense conviction were assessed through self-report, clinical interview, and file review. Results indicated that after controlling for a history of antisocial behaviors, the high CU group was more likely to have a greater number of victims, use more violence with victims, and engage in more offense planning than the low CU group. The high CU group was also more likely to offend against both strangers and family.

Adolescent offenders commit a significant number of physical and sexual assaults every year. A critical task for researchers and clinicians is to understand the distinct pathways that lead to these serious types of offending. The current study attempts to test the importance of these different pathways by comparing violent, violent sex, non-violent sex, and non-violent offenders based on SAVRY risk items, reoffending, and effects of treatment. A sample of 517 adolescents on probation was assessed for several risk factors (i.e., anger management, ADHD, low empathy/remorse) by probation officers. Recidivism over 12 months was assessed from official records. Results indicated that after controlling for race, groups differed on several risk factors, with significant differences noted between violent and non-violent sex offenders for anger management and attention deficit/hyperactivity problems, as well as violent sex offenders and all other offenders for low empathy/remorse. In comparison to non-violent offenders, violent offenders had more any re-offense and violent re-offense. While risk factors partially predicted the relationship between offender and recidivism, treatment did not moderate this relationship.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1982.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references.

Adolescents commit between 30% and 50% of the sexual offenses against young children in the United States. Adolescents who complete specialized treatment for sexual offending, including family therapy, have lower rates of sexual recidivism. Despite the evidence that including families in adolescents' treatment may contribute to lower sexual recidivism rates, there are few descriptions of family therapy with adolescents who sexually offend. In particular, there are no conceptualizations or models of family involvement derived from parents and adolescents' perspectives on treatment. To address this need, this study examined adolescents' and their parents\' experiences of participation in family therapy when the adolescent son had been required to complete treatment for sexual offending. In addition, the study explored how parent and adolescent participation in family therapy was associated with adolescents' progress in treatment for sexual offending. Using constructivist grounded theory methodology, a conceptualization of family therapy was developed through semi-structured interviews with ten adolescent boys who have sexually offended and their parents/caregivers. In addition, a focus group of seven family therapists who specialize in the treatment of adolescents who sexually offend reviewed the findings and offered input on refining the emerging clinical conceptualization. Findings suggest that youth have more successful outcomes when therapists foster hopefulness and use parents to help motivate youth and facilitate change. Positive outcomes of family therapy for youth included expressing himself more clearly, caring about people, thinking about his future and setting goals, having more confidence, following the rules, "progressing in treatment, being accountable for his behavior, becoming more honest, developing life skills, and understanding and expressing regret for sexually offending. Positive outcomes of family therapy for families included changes in household rules, family roles, setting boundaries, and having respectful communication. Implications for how to best include families in adolescents' treatment of sexual offending are addressed. / Ph. D.

This cross-sectional survey study investigates the relationship between school attachment (SA) and adolescents' age at first intercourse (DV), as well as the influence of SA on DV in comparison to the influences of parent attachment (PA), other parent and school factors, and individual factors. Early first intercourse is defined as prior to age 15. Participants are 1,757 mostly African-American and White 7th through 12th grade adolescent boys and girls in five rural counties of a Mid-Atlantic state. Bivariate correlations comparing SA and PA revealed significant and positive correlations between SA and DV (p<.001), as well as PA and DV (p<.001). Linear regressions including only SA and PA showed SA was most predictive of DV for adolescents reporting the lowest (p<.05) and highest (p<.001) levels of PA. For those reporting moderate attachment to parents, SA was not predictive of DV. Several ethnic and gender differences are discussed. Finally, when the influence of individual, parent, and school contexts was compared using entry in a regression by blocks, SA was no longer a significant predictor of DV, and school variables did not account for a significant portion in the variance of age at first intercourse. Parent attachment was a significant and negative predictor, indicating that other parent, individual, and community variables are more influential. Implications are discussed. / Master of Science

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1987.

Repeatedly, parents have reported more frequent and higher quality sex communication with adolescent children than adolescents report taking place. The current study analyzes the discrepancy in parent-child report of sex communication with three main focuses: the magnitude of the discrepancy, whether parent or adolescent perception is more associated with adolescent sexual esteem, and whether the discrepancy is associated with adolescent sexual esteem. Using data from the Healthy Sexuality Project, we analyze a random sample of 620 families using a hierarchical linear regression to measure whether a discrepancy in parent-adolescent reports of the frequency and quality of sex communication has influence on adolescent sexual-esteem.

La littérature scientifique s’intéressant aux adolescents agresseurs sexuels démontre qu’il s’agit d’une population particulièrement résistante au changement (Rich, 2003), d'un sous-groupe particulier qui se distingue sur plusieurs points de la population délinquante juvénile en général (Tardif et coll., 2012; Veneziano et Venziano, 2002; Andrade, Vincent et Saleh, 2005). En effet, plusieurs adolescents agresseurs sexuels présentent des déficits en lien avec les habiletés sociales et les relations interpersonnelles, (Tardif et coll., 2012; Carpentier, 2008; Becker, 1993; Hunter et Figueredo, 2000; Veneziano et Veneziano, 2002). Sachant que l’alliance thérapeutique / de travail est un élément clé dans l’implication du patient en traitement et que sa réussite est associée à une diminution des risques de récidive (Brannon et Troyer, 1991; Rubinstein, Yeager, Goodstein et Lewis, 1993); il est important de bien identifier les facteurs qui favorisent ou compromettent l’établissement d’une alliance de travail auprès de cette clientèle. La présente recherche permet de mettre en lumière l’influence qu’exercent les caractéristiques personnelles, environnementales et sociales de ces jeunes sur l’établissement d’une alliance de travail en contexte d’autorité. L’échantillon à l’étude est constitué 76 adolescents ayant commis des infractions à caractère sexuel qui ont été suivis dans différents centres de traitement spécialisés en délinquance sexuelle, situés un peu partout au Québec. Nos analyses statistiques (corrélations et régressions) ont révélé plusieurs relations significatives entre les caractéristiques individuelles et environnementales de ces jeunes et de la perception qu’ils ont de l’alliance qui se créé avec leur thérapeute. En effet, les facteurs liés aux symptômes de stress post-traumatique, aux habiletés sociales ainsi qu’aux stratégies d’adaptation face au stress sont peu ou pas associés au développement de cette alliance de travail tandis que les facteurs faisant référence au niveau de motivation du jeune face au changement, à l’environnement familial, aux relations interpersonnelles ainsi qu’au soutien social y sont plus positivement associés. Ainsi, les résultats de la présente étude soulignent l’importance de ces variables dans l’établissement de la relation thérapeutique en cours de traitement. Cependant, mentionnons que les conclusions de cette étude ne permettent pas d’établir des relations de cause à effet entre les différentes variables, mais indiquent plutôt des pistes intéressantes quant aux facteurs à considérer lorsqu’il est question de bâtir une alliance thérapeutique lors d’un processus de changement avec les adolescents agresseurs sexuels. / The scientific literature concerned with juvenile sex offenders shows that this is a particularly resistant population to change (Rich, 2003). They are forming a particular subgroup that differs in several aspects from the juvenile offender population in general (Tardif et al., 2012; Venziano and Veneziano, 2002; Andrade, Vincent and Saleh, 2005). Indeed, juvenile sex offenders have several deficits in social skills and interpersonal relationships, (Tardif et al., 2012; Carpentier, 2008; Becker, 1993; Hunter and Figueredo, 2000; Veneziano and Veneziano, 2002). Knowing that the therapeutic alliance is a key element in patient involvement in treatment and that its success is associated with a decreased risk of recidivism (Brannon and Troyer, 1991; Rubinstein, Yeager, Goodstein and Lewis, 1993); it is important to identify factors that promote or undermine the establishment of a therapeutic alliance with this specific population. This research helps to highlight the influence of personal, environmental and social characteristics of the young on the establishment of a therapeutic alliance in context of authority. This sample counted 76 teenagers who have committed sexual offenses which have been followed in different specialized treatment centers for sexual offenders located throughout the province of Quebec. The statistical analysies (correlation and regression) revealed several significant relationships between the adolescent’s individual and environmental characteristics and the therapeutic alliance. Indeed, factors related to post-traumatic stress symptoms, social skills and stress-coping strategies are associated with little or no development of the therapeutic alliance. On the other hand, factors referring to motivation level to change, the family environment, interpersonal as well as social support are more positively associated with. Thus, therapists working with adolescents molesters should consider the level of motivation and the characteristics of the family environment of these adolescents because they seem related to the construction of the therapeutic alliance during the therapy. However, it is important to note that the findings of this study does not establish causal relationships between variables in study, but still indicate some interesting tracks on the factors to consider when it comes to building a therapeutic alliance during a change process with adolescents sex offenders.