The purpose of this investigation was to examine the relationship between adult interpersonal functioning of women, currently in therapy wherein they were addressing unresolved issues about their childhood maltreatment, and childhood experiences referring to a developmental psychopathology framework. One hundred and twenty women (30 sexual abuse, 30 physical abuse, 30 family disruption, and 30 control) were individually presented with a series of audiotapes of three interpersonal situations (conflictual, neutral, dating), and asked to record their self-report of physiological response, self- and other-perceptions and coping responses. Physiological indices (heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) were also recorded, as well as self-report of childhood coping strategies. The data were examined as to whether abuse survivors in therapy addressing their childhood experiences have more interpersonal problems than non-clinical control subjects or than individuals having other types of traumatic backgrounds and whether any noted interpersonal difficulties are specific to the type of abuse, or general in nature. Results indicated that abusive experiences are related to greater dysfunction in regards to self- and other-perceptions than exposure to disruptive/chaotic family environments alone. However, the differences appear to be variable-specific and few differences were obtained on physiological and coping variables. Some specific problems in adult interpersonal functioning were evidenced between the sexual and physical abuse groups. Specifically, in comparison to the physical abuse survivors, sexual abuse survivors reported greater use of different, and perhaps less adaptive, coping strategies in neutral situations. No other dependent variables significantly differed between the two groups. The results were discussed in terms of theoretical and empirical issues related to abuse-specific outcomes, the specific methodology employed in this study, and directions for future research.

No description available.

In this study I examined how sex of the child and the adult and the age of the child influence people's perceptions regarding the abusiveness of adult-child sexual interactions and attributions of blame and responsibility in such incidents. The relationship of gender-role attitudes to perceptions of child sexual abuse was also investigated. Undergraduate students read one of eight vignettes depicting a sexual interaction between a child and an adult in which the sex of the child, the age of the adult, and the sex of the adult were experimentally manipulated. Respondents then answered questions regarding their perceptions of the abusiveness of the incident and attributions of responsibility and blame made to the adult. Results indicated that scenarios depicting a 15-year-old were rated as less abusive and less responsibility was attributed to the adult relative to vignettes involving a 7-year-old. Furthermore, when the vignette depicted a 15-year-old with an adult of the opposite sex, less blame was attributed to the adult. / Department of Psychological Science

This study addresses the problem of the assessment of child molesters. The research questions in this study specifically address the assessment of child molester personality and its relationship to demographic, personal, criminal offense, and treatment progress variables.The purpose of the study was to replicate cluster analyses done with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) in child molester populations using the revised and re-nonmed Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), and also, to identify other variables that are associated with particular profile patterns in child molesters.This study examined the archival records of 91 adult male child molesters who were involved in a communitybased sexual abuse treatment program between 1990 and 1993. Information analyzed included the MMPI-2, demographic, personal, and criminal offense data obtained from the child molesters' treatment files, and therapist ratings on the Treatment Progress Rating Scale which is an 11-point scale based on behaviors that the child molester reveals in treatment.The data from the MMPI-2 scales were cluster analyzed, yielding four homogeneous profile subgroups. Three of these four subgroups closely resembled those found in earlier MMPI research with child molesters. Discriminant analysis and chi square analyses were used to examine variables that differentiated the profile groups of child molesters derived in the cluster analysis. Results indicated that the derived groups significantly differed in terms of their reported history of having been sexually abused as a child. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using the Scheffe procedure revealed that child molesters with within normal limits MMPI-2 profiles were less likely to report a history of childhood sexual abuse than were child molesters with more elevated profiles. ANOVA with repeated measures was used to analyze child molester progress in treatment as a function of MMPI-2 profile group. Although the analysis revealed that significant treatment progress was made for the overall sample, the groups did not significantly differ in terms of their treatment progress. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

Child sexual abusers have typically been studied as a homogeneous group, comparing them with non-child sexual abusers. The present study was designed to examine the heterogeneity of child sexual abusers on a measure of psychopathology, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2), the revised version of the MMPI. MMPI-2 profiles of 106 child sexual abusers in treatment for their offenses were cluster analyzed. Three clusters were obtained from the data, suggesting that child sexual abusers are heterogeneous as measured by the MMPI-2. The clusters were F-8-7-6 (n=15), elevated 4 scale (n=29), and within normal limits (n=62). A discriminant function generated by cluster membership was able to accurately classify 98.11% of the sample.The three clusters were replicated in an independent sample (n=50) drawn from the same population. The discriminant function generated on the derivation sample was applied to the validation sample, correctly classifying 80.00% of the subjects.The mean MMPI-2 profiles for the clusters in this study did not replicate mean profiles of clusters derived from similar research using the MMPI, indicating that the two instruments may not be equivalent for use in research using multivariate statistical techniques.The three clusters were tested against amount of self-reported sexual psychopathology as measured by the Multiphasic Sex Inventory (MSI). Discriminant function analysis indicated that cluster membership did predict degree of sexual psychopathology. In essence, the more elevated the mean MMPI-2 cluster profile, the more sexual psychopathology was reported. The clusters did not differ with regard to progress in treatment (though there were definite trends toward significant group differences in the data), nor did they differ with regard to victim and offender demographics. They did, however, differ with regard to level of intelligence, with the F-8-7-6 group being significantly lower in intelligence than the other two groups.The results of this study indicate that child sexual abusers are heterogeneous with regard to their MMPI-2 profiles, and that this heterogeneity can be used to form homogeneous groups. Additionally, homogeneous groups of child sexual abusers can be expected to differ on the basis of general psychopathology and sexual psychopathology. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study examined the interrelations among sexual victimization, attachment style, interpersonal relationship satisfaction, and substance use. Sexual victimization (i.e., child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault; CSA and ASA) is a major social concern for which further research is needed. While it is difficult to determine which difficulties are direct outcomes of sexual victimization, both CSA and ASA have been found to be associated with a variety of mental health problems, along with numerous other adverse outcomes across the lifespan (e.g., depression, risk of suicide, attachment insecurity, interpersonal relationship problems, substance abuse). By further exploring these relations and identifying potential mediating variables, specific therapy techniques may be tailored in order to address these variables in treatment. Factors such as attachment and interpersonal relationships are particularly important to consider when examining sexual victimization, due to the intimate nature of this type of victimization. It was expected that sexual victimization in women (controlling for other forms of childhood maltreatment) would predict insecure adult attachment, greater levels of harmful substance use (i.e., drug and alcohol abuse), and lower reported relationship satisfaction. Results indicated that women who experienced more severe CSA and anxious attachment engaged in greater levels of drug abuse (i.e., anxious attachment moderated the relation between CSA and drug abuse). In addition, women who experienced more severe ASA and child psychological abuse reported greater attachment insecurity (both attachment avoidance and anxiety) in their relationships and engaged in greater levels of substance abuse (i.e., both drug and alcohol abuse). Furthermore, women with greater levels of anxious attachment reported lower levels of relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that clinicians working with women survivors of sexual victimization should be aware of potential attachment-related difficulties, as well as an increased risk of developing substance use problems that may be stemming from victimization experiences. / Graduate / 0621

This study examined the interrelations among sexual victimization, attachment style, interpersonal relationship satisfaction, and substance use. Sexual victimization (i.e., child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault; CSA and ASA) is a major social concern for which further research is needed. While it is difficult to determine which difficulties are direct outcomes of sexual victimization, both CSA and ASA have been found to be associated with a variety of mental health problems, along with numerous other adverse outcomes across the lifespan (e.g., depression, risk of suicide, attachment insecurity, interpersonal relationship problems, substance abuse). By further exploring these relations and identifying potential mediating variables, specific therapy techniques may be tailored in order to address these variables in treatment. Factors such as attachment and interpersonal relationships are particularly important to consider when examining sexual victimization, due to the intimate nature of this type of victimization. It was expected that sexual victimization in women (controlling for other forms of childhood maltreatment) would predict insecure adult attachment, greater levels of harmful substance use (i.e., drug and alcohol abuse), and lower reported relationship satisfaction. Results indicated that women who experienced more severe CSA and anxious attachment engaged in greater levels of drug abuse (i.e., anxious attachment moderated the relation between CSA and drug abuse). In addition, women who experienced more severe ASA and child psychological abuse reported greater attachment insecurity (both attachment avoidance and anxiety) in their relationships and engaged in greater levels of substance abuse (i.e., both drug and alcohol abuse). Furthermore, women with greater levels of anxious attachment reported lower levels of relationship satisfaction. These findings suggest that clinicians working with women survivors of sexual victimization should be aware of potential attachment-related difficulties, as well as an increased risk of developing substance use problems that may be stemming from victimization experiences. / Graduate / 0621

This dissertation’s analyses examined the association of caregiver, child, abuse and investigation characteristics with maternal response and emotional harm among families for whom child sexual abuse (CSA) was suspected or substantiated. Method This study was based on secondary analysis of data collected in the Canadian Incidence Study of Report Child Abuse and Neglect 1998. The current analysis was limited to 373 CSA investigations for which there was a female non-offending caregiver and complete data on maternal response. Bivariate and hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted for two outcomes; maternal response and emotional harm. Results According to social worker assessment, the majority of female non-offending caregivers (87.1%) of children investigated for suspected or substantiated child sexual abuse responded with belief of the abuse disclosure, emotional support and protection of the child victim. The overall maternal response model was significant and accounted for 40.8% of the variance (Nagelkerke R2). Factors significantly associated with maternal response in the multivariate model included maternal mental health, age of the child, child’s manifestation of sexualized behavior, child’s relationship to the perpetrator, duration of abuse and co-occurring maltreatment. The overall emotional harm model was significant and accounted for 18.3% of the variance (Nagelkerke R2). Age of the child at the time of investigation, inappropriate sexualized behavior and substantiation level were significant predictors in the final block of the emotional harm regression equation. Maternal response was no longer significantly associated with emotional harm when the analysis adjusted for child characteristics. Conclusion Consistent with previous research, the majority of non-offending mothers investigated as part of the CIS-98 responded to CSA disclosure with belief, emotional support and protection as determined by the social worker’s assessment. The current study supports the cumulative evidence that caregiver mental health, age of the child and the child’s relationship with the offender are significant predictors of negative maternal response and emotional harm. Although negative maternal response failed to predict emotional harm among children investigated for CSA, continued examination of the risk factors associated with maternal response is warranted to ensure the safety of a small, yet vulnerable segment of children.

This pilot study was designed to collect and analyze a broad range of descriptive data on out-patient pedophiles. Eighteen males with at least one legally charged pedophilic offense (excluding incest) participated in the research. Seven of the subjects sexually molested a male child (homosexual pedophiles) and eleven subjects sexually molested a female child (heterosexual pedophiles). / Subjects were administered the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) and the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI). Subjects and their therapists also participated in a structured interview which sought data on psycho-social and offense variables. / Analysis of the MCMI results found that when profile configurations were compared, the homosexual group showed higher mean sub-scale elevations, a more cohesive pattern of sub-scale elevations, and significantly higher sub-scale scores for Passive-Aggressive personality as a feature. The heterosexual group shared Avoidant/Dependent features of personality with the homosexual group but individual profile configurations were much less homogeneous in sub-scale elevations. The analysis of the NPI results found no significant difference between the groups. A comparison of the structured interview data for the groups strongly suggests that homosexual offenders are more structured in their pedophilic interest than heterosexual offenders. / The results are discussed in relation to the validity of the fixated/regressed model for homosexual and heterosexual pedophiles, respectively. The relationship between personality, aetiology of pedophilic behavior, and offense pattern is considered. Implications and suggestions for future research are outlined.

Thesis (MPsych(Clin))--University of South Australia, 1999