Father–Daughter Incest: Data from an Anonymous Computerized Survey

Retrospective data were entered anonymously by 1,521 adult women using computer-assisted self-interview. Nineteen were classified as victims of father–daughter incest, and 241 were classified as victims of sexual abuse by an adult other than their father before reaching 18 years of age. The remaining 1,261 served as controls. Incest victims were more likely than controls to endorse feeling damaged, psychologically injured, estranged from one or both parents, and shamed by others when they tried to open up about their experience. They had been eroticized early on by the incest experience, and it interfered with their adult sexuality. Incest victims experienced coitus earlier than controls and after reaching age 18 had more sex partners and were more likely to have casual sex outside their primary relationship and engage in sex for money than controls. They also had worse scores on scales measuring depression, sexual satisfaction, and communication about sex than controls.     

Sister–Sister Incest: Data from an Anonymous Computerized Survey

Retrospective data were entered anonymously by 1,521 adult women using a computer-assisted self-interview. Thirty-one participants were victims of sister–sister incest, 40 were victims of brother–sister incest, 19 were victims of father–daughter incest, 8 were victims of sexual abuse by an adult female (including one mother), and 232 were victims of sexual abuse by an adult male other than their father before reaching 18 years of age. The rest (1,203) served as controls. The victims of sister–sister incest had significantly more problematic outcomes than controls on many measures as adults. Victims of sister–sister incest were more depressed and more likely than controls to be distant from the perpetrator-sister and to have traded sex for money, experienced an unplanned pregnancy, engaged in four different types of masturbation, and engaged in 13 different same-sex behaviors. Our findings were consistent with other reports of early eroticization and persistent hypereroticization of incest victims.     

Incest as Related to Sexual Problems in Women

This study examined the relationship between women's experiences of incest during childhood or adolescence and sexual problems they developed as adults. Participants were 601 volunteers ages 18-66 who reported their sexual relationships, activities, problems, and their history with incest. Those who had experienced Incest were more likely than the others to report vaginal problems, negative reactions to sex, compulsive sexual behavior, an total sexual problems. Age of onset below eight, frequent occurrences, censured disclosures, and a large age discrepancy between perpetrator and victim, were associated with more severe problems. A possible explanation of the findings on the basis of aversive conditioning is discussed.     

Incest: Self‐report findings from a nonclinical sample

Self‐reports of incest experiences from a nonpatient, nonoffender sample of 100 individuals are described. The purpose is to document the wide range of incest types by correlating the negative‐to‐positive perceived outcome of the experience with sex, age, exploitation, and guilt. A 23‐item questionnaire was administered to respondents contacted through nationally circulated classified advertisements. Respondents, were categorized as perpetrators, victims, and consenting participants. Incestuous experiences with age peers, adult or child, constitute 42% of the accounts. Of the cross‐generational reports, 33% are from adult males describing incest with children, and 63% are from adults retrospectively describing childhood incest with adult males. Both exploitative and nonexploitative experiences are perceived by some respondents as negative and by others as positive. There was no correlation between positive‐to‐negative outcome and type of erotic activity, consanguinity, or sexual orientation.     

The Long-Term Consequences of Childhood Incestuous Victimization upon Adult Women's Psychological Symptomatology

Current estimates of the prevalence of incest suggest that 16-20% of the women in the United States may be victims of such sexual abuse by the age of 18. The long-term consequences of incestuous victimization appear lo be numerous, producing in its victims feelings of powerlessness, stigmatization, and betrayal many years after the abuse. Some of the diagnostic consequences of childhood sexual abuse include affective disorders, substance abuse, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, dissociative disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder. and sexual dvsfunction. Therefore. the vumse of the present study was to comp&e adult women who were'viciims of childhood incest to various control groups to determine whether there were differences in psychological symptomatology. The results of this study suggest that the long-term consequences of incest are numerous and varied. Adult incest survivors reported greater levels of psychological distress as well as more types of symptomatology when compared to all three control groups. Overall. the data describing the incest survivors indicated that they were significantly more dcpressed, alienated, inhibited. socially introverted, and yet interpersonally more sensitive than other groups studied.     

The use of sexually explicit stimuli by rapists,child molesters,and nonoffenders

Retrospective recall provided the basis for estimating the use of sexually explicit materials by sex offenders (voluntary outpatients) and nonoffenders during pubescence, as well as currently. Offenders were also asked about their use of such materials as incitors to offend. The sexual materials of concern were restricted to magazines, films, or videotapes depicting very explicit consenting sex between adults, a man forcing sex upon a woman, and sex between an adult male and a child. Twenty‐three rapists and 51 men who molested children other than their own (i.e. child molesters) reported significantly greater use of materials than was indicated by either incest offenders or nonoffender controls. Rapists and child molesters reported frequent use of these materials while preparing themselves to commit an offense. Current use was significantly related to the chronicity of their sexual offending (as revealed by number of victims) amongst the child molesters and to laboratory‐assessed sexual preferences for children in the heterosexual child molesters.     

Consensual Victim–Perpetrator Intercourse after Nonconsensual Sex: The Impact of Prior Relationship

Some female victims of nonconsensual sex subsequently have consensual sexual intercourse with the perpetrator and are more likely to do so if intercourse occurred during the nonconsensual sex than if it did not. Some evolutionary psychologists have postulated that there is something significant about nonconsensual intercourse that causes women to subsequently have a sexual relationship with the perpetrator (e.g., risk of pregnancy). In this study, we investigated a parsimonious explanation that has previously been overlooked: Intercourse is more likely during nonconsensual sex when the victim and perpetrator have previously had a sexual relationship; thus, subsequent consensual intercourse may simply be a continuation of that prior relationship. A sample of 945 women completed an Internet-based survey, of whom 41% had experienced nonconsensual sex since age 14. As expected, victims who had intercourse with perpetrators prior to the nonconsensual sex event were significantly more likely than other victims to experience nonconsensual intercourse and to engage in subsequent consensual intercourse with the perpetrator. When considering only the small subsample of victims who never had a prior romantic or sexual relationship with the perpetrator, the odds of subsequent consensual intercourse were still significantly greater following nonconsensual sex with intercourse versus without intercourse.     

Training Knowledge of Professionals on Specific Topics in Child Sexual Abuse

This exploratory study examined the training background and self-reported level of knowledge of a group of professionals on specific topics in child sexual abuse. The results show that while the vast majority of those working with adult victims, female victims, and incest victims have received training, many professionals working in the area of child sexual abuse treatment have not had training on topics directly related to their work. It was found that fewer than 40% of those working with female offenders, victims and offenders who are gay or lesbian, victims and offenders who have developmental disabilities, or in cases where cultural issues are relevant, have had training in working with these types of cases. Those professionals who had received training reported feeling more knowledgeable on these topics than did those without training. It is recommended that graduate degree programs and continuing education programs examine their offerings in the area of child sexual abuse.     

The Cognitive Impact of Sexual Abuse and PTSD in Children: A Neuropsychological Study

Sexual abuse is known to have an impact on both child and adult mental health, but the neuropsychological basis of this effect is still largely unknown. This study compared neuropsychological test results from a group of 76 children, 13 of them sexual abuse victims with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, 26 victims of sexual abuse who showed no symptoms post-traumatic stress disorder, and 37 controls. The groups were matched by age, sex, socioeconomic status, and educational level. Child sexual abuse was associated with reduced ability to inhibit automatic responses measured by the Stroop test regardless of post-traumatic stress disorder status. These findings indicate possible attentional inhibition difficulties in child victims of sexual abuse, which may help explain psychopathology associated with the experience.     

Interactional Cornmaanmication Patterns in Father/Daughter Incest Families

This paper focuses on a broad spectrum of interactional communication patterns in fatherldaughter incest families. "Live communications" were analyzed using Lorna Benjamin's Structural Analysis of Social Behavior (SASE!) circum lex model. Incest familiesy communications were compared to familes who had daughters classified as 0 positional and to Nonclinical families. In light of current research t R e study examined the concepts of mother1 daughter role-reversal, controlling incest fathers, and conflictual motherldaughter relationships. Implications of the findings as applied to treatment are discussed.     

An examination of the relationship between child sexual offending and psychopathy

The participants in this study were adult males (N = 111) who were accused of various sexual crimes against children 16 years of age or younger, and who were evaluated at a state forensic facility in a large Midwestern state. This study examined the relationship of Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R) scores to type of child sexual offender (same sex extrafamilial, opposite sex extrafamilial, and incest offenders), the presence of violence during the most recent child sexual offense, and criminal versatility. Results indicated that those sexual offenders who employed physical violence against the children they abused were significantly more psychopathic than those who did not. No significant differences were found between types of child sexual offenders or with general criminal versatility.     

Managing moods and parenting: Perspectives of former system youth who struggle with emotional challenges

Young adults who were served in public systems of care as children are much more likely than their peers to be parenting in adolescence and young adulthood. They are also more likely than their counterparts to have a history of mental health problems. This study examined the perspectives of young adult parents with mood problems who had been involved in public systems of care before age 18. Qualitative interviews with twenty-eight participants were analyzed to examine the experience of managing moods and parenting. Young parents described how their symptoms impact their parenting and how parenting impacts their coping. They also described the strengths and challenges of using mental health services while parenting. Findings highlight the need to provide interventions that include supports for both parenting and symptom management and for providers to include both tangible and emotional support in their interventions.     

Psychosocial Correlates of Premarital Sex Among College Students in Hunan Province,China

ABSTRACT

A cross-sectional study was conducted to examine the psychological and sociocultural factors associated with premarital sexual behavior among a sample of 1,875 Chinese college students in Hunan Province. Chi-square tests, t-tests, and logistic regression were used to determine any variations in the variables between those who had initiated sex and those who had no sexual experience. Students who were impulsive decision makers were more likely to have had premarital sexual intercourse. Those participants who perceived that their parents/friends would approve of their having sex and those who were more exposed to sexual media programs were more likely to have premarital sexual intercourse. Male students were almost 2 times more likely than female students to have had premarital sex. The findings provide insights for developing reproductive and sexual health education programs for Chinese young adults.     

Factors Affecting Attitudes Toward Juvenile Sex Offenders

ABSTRACT

This study investigated attitudes toward juvenile sex offenders and factors influencing those attitudes. Additionally, the influences of perpetrator characteristics such as age, gender, and ethnicity on societal attitudes towards intervention requirements were also investigated. Overall, attitudes toward juvenile sex offenders and their treatment amenability were negative. No differences in attitudes toward juvenile sex offenders were found between those who had been victims of sexual abuse and those that had not. Sex offenses committed by juvenile female sex offenders were viewed to be more serious and require more intervention than those committed by juvenile male sex offenders.     

Social cognitions about adult male victims of female sexual assault

Although men are far less likely than women to be victims of heterosexual assault, such cases have been reported with increasing frequency in recent years. We compared social judgments about male and female victims of heterosexual and homosexual rape and tested hypotheses concerning social cognitions that are assumed to underlie a male rape mythology. In a 2 × 2 × 2 design, 77 male and 89 female subjects made a series of judgments about a sexual assault case in which sex of victim and sex of assailants were manipulated. Consistent with the hypotheses, the male victim of sexual assault by females was judged more likely to have initiated or encouraged the sex acts, and more enjoyment and less stress were attributed to him. This pattern of results was more pronounced among male subjects. The results are discussed in relation to stereotypic beliefs concerning male sex roles, sexual motivation, and sexual functioning that are likely to affect the social cognitions of both observers and male victims of heterosexual assault.     

Differences in Perceptions of Child Sexual Abuse Based on Perpetrator Age and Respondent Gender

Child sexual abuse changes the lives of countless children. Child sexual abuse victims experience short and long term negative outcomes that affect their daily functioning. In this study, undergraduate students' perceptions of CSA were obtained using vignettes with an adult or child perpetrator and a general questionnaire. Results indicated participants receiving the child-on-child vignette were less likely to rate the vignette as abuse, saw the abuse as less severe, and assigned less blame to the perpetrator than participants reading the adult-on-child vignette. On a general questionnaire, male participants saw child-on-child abuse as less severe and more encouraged by society than did female participants. The information can be utilized by professionals in treatment planning and preventing revictimization at disclosure.     

Differences in perceptions of child sexual abuse based on perpetrator age and respondent gender

Child sexual abuse changes the lives of countless children. Child sexual abuse victims experience short and long term negative outcomes that affect their daily functioning. In this study, undergraduate students' perceptions of CSA were obtained using vignettes with an adult or child perpetrator and a general questionnaire. Results indicated participants receiving the child-on-child vignette were less likely to rate the vignette as abuse, saw the abuse as less severe, and assigned less blame to the perpetrator than participants reading the adult-on-child vignette. On a general questionnaire, male participants saw child-on-child abuse as less severe and more encouraged by society than did female participants. The information can be utilized by professionals in treatment planning and preventing revictimization at disclosure.     

Psychologists' Attitudes Toward Adult Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse

ABSTRACT

Psychologists' attitudes toward adult male sexual abuse survivors were explored. Psychologists (n = 154) read vignettes describing the sexual abuse of a male victim, then completed the Male Role Norm Scale, the Jackson Incest Blame Scale, a vignette response sheet, and a personal data sheet. Stepwise regression was used to analyze the data. Variables included characteristics of the psychologists, the perpetrator, and the victim. The psychologists' attitudes toward men, rather than the sex of the psychologists, predicted blaming attitudes. Victim responses, sexual abuse treatment experience, and the severity of abuse were also predictors. Practical suggestions for treatment are noted.     

Abstracts and reviews

Although men are far less likely than women to be victims of heterosexual assault, such cases have been reported with increasing frequency in recent years. We compared social judgments about male and female victims of heterosexual and homosexual rape and tested hypotheses concerning social cognitions that are assumed to underlie a male rape mythology. In a 2 × 2 × 2 design, 77 male and 89 female subjects made a series of judgments about a sexual assault case in which sex of victim and sex of assailants were manipulated. Consistent with the hypotheses, the male victim of sexual assault by females was judged more likely to have initiated or encouraged the sex acts, and more enjoyment and less stress were attributed to him. This pattern of results was more pronounced among male subjects. The results are discussed in relation to stereotypic beliefs concerning male sex roles, sexual motivation, and sexual functioning that are likely to affect the social cognitions of both observers and male victims of heterosexual assault.     

A Comparison of Sexual Assault Cases with Child and Adult Victims

Researchers have suggested that sexual assault cases involving children are treated differently than cases involving adults; they have suggested that cases with child victims are more likely to be dismissed and are less likely to result in conviction or incarceration of the offender. The present study used data from Detroit Recorder's Court to compare the outcome of sexual assault cases involving children and adults. The results indicated that cases with child victims differed in important ways from cases with adult victims, and that these differences affected case outcomes. Cases with child victims were less likely than cases with adult victims to be aggravated sexual assaults. When these differences were taken into account, offenders convicted of assaulting children faced a higher risk of incarceration than did offenders convicted of assaulting adults.