The mediational effect of affect regulation on the relationship between attachment and internalizing/externalizing behaviors in adolescent males who have sexually offended

Research has shown that adults who sexually offend frequently report perpetrating a sexual offense for the first time during childhood/adolescence; therefore in this preliminary study, we examine the possible covariates related to offending sexually in adolescents. For this study, 62 incarcerated adolescents at a correctional facility in Alabama completed self-report questionnaires regarding demographic information, internalizing/externalizing behavior problems, attachment, and affect regulation. The results of this study indicate that attachment is related to internalizing and externalizing behaviors, as well as, both adaptive affect regulation and maladaptive affect regulation. Through path analyses, this study was the first to test and find that affect regulation ability mediated the relationship between attachment and externalizing behavior; however, it did not mediate the relationship between attachment and internalizing behavior. Interestingly, maladaptive affect regulation appeared to have a stronger influence on problem behaviors than adaptive affect regulation for these adolescents. The findings from this study could help professionals identify more successful therapeutic interventions for these adolescents and consequently prevent later sexual offending and further negative, individual or societal outcomes.     

Child maltreatment in China: An ecological review of the literature

This article presents findings of a systematic review of empirical studies on child maltreatment in China that were published in either English or Chinese. The review uses Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory as a lens to examine risk and protective factors of child maltreatment within micro-, meso-, exo-, macro-, and chrono- system levels. A search of 5 electronic bibliographic databases and websites identified 24 outcome studies on child maltreatment in China, which included studies that examined physical/emotional/sexual abuse, and neglect. The most direct influences of child maltreatment in the micro-level system include the parent-child relationship and intergenerational transmission of abuse. At the macro-system level, maltreatment is explained by cultural values such as filial piety and familism. In essence, different factors are found within the various system levels that indicate the complexities of the factors that influence child maltreatment. Throughout the article, we highlight the need to understand the cultural dynamics, values, and mores of Chinese families. The discussion includes practical suggestions and implications for intervention with children, parents, and grandparents that school teachers, social workers, policy makers, and researchers can utilize.     

A sexual affiliation network of swingers,heterosexuals practicing risk behaviours that potentiate the spread of sexually transmitted infections: A two-mode approach

Using the example of the sexual affiliation networks of swingers, this paper examines how the analysis of sexual affiliation networks can contribute to the development of sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention strategies. Two-mode network methodology and ERGMs are applied to describe the structural composition of the affiliation network and analyse attribute effects. Swingers were found to recruit their sex partners through one large, moderately cohesive network component. Swingers who used drugs or had a longer history of swinging tended to frequent websites instead of clubs. This study confirms the relevance of studying sexual affiliation networks and its additional value for STI epidemiology.     

Seeking Justice: The Strategy of the National Social Action Program

Past efforts at law reform have taken years of consciousness raising. The resulting legislation has been ineffective in reducing men’s sexual violence against women and children, in large part because most women are understandably reluctant to go to court. This reluctance comesfrom recognition of the fundamental failures of the legal doctrine. The judicial response to men’s sexual violence can be reformed through the use of existing procedures (e.g., prosecution objections and appeals). This paper describes 3 local actions to start a fast and effective reform of the legal doctrine: Documenting the Outrageous, Challenging the Legal System, and Supporting Victims.     

Emotional and Physical Satisfaction in Noncohabiting,Cohabiting, and Marital Relationships: The Importance of Jealous Conflict

This article examines whether associations between marital status and emotional and physical satisfaction depend on jealous conflict associated with expectations about sexual exclusivity. Using data from a representative sample of 681 women and men drawn from the city of Chicago and its inner suburbs, this study estimated logistic regression models of jealous conflict and ordered logistic regression models of adults' reported emotional and physical satisfaction of their relationships. The results show that marriages are less exposed to jealous conflict than cohabiting and noncohabiting relationships. Regarding emotional and physical satisfaction, their associations with marital status were contingent upon whether individuals reported jealous conflict in their relationships. Specifically, in relationships without jealous conflict, married couples were more emotionally satisfied than noncohabiting couples. Married couples, but not cohabiting and noncohabiting couples, had significantly lower emotional and physical satisfaction when jealous conflict occurred. Cohabitors were not less emotionally or physically satisfied than married respondents. Overall, this research supports the argument that sexual exclusivity expectations are important for understanding the link between marital status and relationship quality.     

Abstracts of sexuality articles by medical,nursing, and social work students: Preferences for journal and topic

Theories of gender transpositions are fundamentally flawed because they often fail to comprise biological, social, familial, and cultural variables which influence the development of sexual behavior and identities in humans. These theories are reminiscent of 19th century views of sexuality which relied on the notion of biological determinism. This approach has been considered reductionistic and has led to conclusions that variations of human sexual expression, such as homosexuality, are deviations from the heterosexual norm. That heterosexuality is considered to be the norm originates from the equation of sexuality to reproductive biology in biomedicine. While there is an impressive body of information on hormonal influence on sexual brain differentiation, prenatal life, and later sexual motor behavior in lower mammals, these findings have not been clearly replicated in primates or humans. Yet, there have been forceful extrapolations to the human from lower mammals (e.g., theories of gender transpositions). Upon critical analyses of hormonal theories of heterosexuality and transsexualism, there are no robust data to support the role of hormones in the development of these behaviors or identities among humans. While an understanding of the etiology of these phenomena, including heterosexuality, is intriguing, we need to be cautious in our zeal to find simplistic explanations and not to retreat to oversimplified notions.     

Effects of sexual arousal on men's and women's behavior in sexual disagreement situations

A role‐play procedure was used to investigate the effects of acceptance of rape supportive beliefs (RMA), sexual intimacy, and sexual arousal on behavior in sexual disagreement situations. In Experiment 1, 67 college women role‐played their responses to their date's initial and continued unwanted sexual advances after viewing either an erotic or a neutral videotape. The women were more definite in their nonverbal responses to the “continued” than to the “initial” sexual advances. Low RMA women were less definite, and high RMA women were more definite, in their nonverbal refusals of unwanted intercourse than of unwanted breast fondling. Low RMA women were more definite in their verbal refusals after viewing the neutral than the erotic videotape. In Experiment 2, 78 college men role‐played their responses to their date's first and second refusal of their sexual advances. Men were less compliant in response to the first than to the second refusal. High RMA men who viewed the neutral film were less compliant than were low RMA men. However, high RMA men who viewed the erotic film were more compliant than high RMA men who viewed the neutral film. The men who viewed the neutral film were less compliant with refusals of breast fondling than with refusals of intercourse. Additionally, men who viewed the erotic film were more compliant with refusals of genital fondling than with refusals of intercourse. Finally, sexual experience and sex‐role ideology predicted when the man would try the same advances again.     

The invisibility of adolescent sexual development in foster care: Seriously addressing sexually transmitted infections and access to services

Adolescents residing in foster care are at higher risk for acquiring sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and human immune deficiency virus (HIV) compared to their non-foster care peers. A literature review was conducted to determine whether youth residing in foster care face different barriers to sexual health care compared to their peers in the general population and, if so, what those barriers are. The review revealed barriers common to adolescents in general as well as additional barriers specific to the ecosystem of adolescents in foster care. Systemic issues that decreased access to sexual health services included child welfare policies that were either missing or implemented without fidelity; complicated financial factors; barriers to service utilization; lack of collaboration between child welfare and medical professionals; and limited information provided to foster youth on their sexual health and development. Consent and confidentiality issues that foster youth face in seeking sensitive health services also need to be resolved. More research is needed on how to facilitate development of coherent policies and effective practices that promote sexual health care access for adolescents in foster care.     

Endorsement for Civil Rights for Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,and Transgender People Among Heterosexual College Students: Informing Socially Just Policy Advocacy

In the past decade, advocacy efforts to establish social policies that legally recognize same-sex relationships and protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people from employment discrimination have increased considerably throughout the country. To inform these advocacy campaigns, we investigate endorsement for LGBT civil rights among heterosexual college students (n = 1,714). Students, overall, were moderately supportive of LGBT rights. Twenty-one variables were found to be significant in the initial analyses; however, only seven retained significance in the final analysis which controlled for all variables. Results suggest that political ideology and specific LGBT attitudes are most influential. Religiosity and having LGBT extended family members are also important. Implications for LGBT advocacy efforts are discussed.     

Incorporating Information from Neuroscience and Endocrinology Regarding Sexual Orientation into Social Work Education

ABSTRACT

The brains of heterosexual males and heterosexual females are different. Moreover, the brains of gay men are similar to those in heterosexual females, whereas the brains of lesbians are similar to those in heterosexual males. Gender-atypical features in gays and lesbians are not limited to brain structures but extend to other physical features (auditory function, finger print patterns, relative size of index and ring fingers) and interest patterns and behaviors. The research supporting these postulates is reviewed. The gestational processes that might explain the differences in brain structure and function corresponding with sexual orientation are reviewed. A discussion of the physiological bases for the expression of gender-related traits and a discussion of factors contributing to sexual identity are provided. Throughout the article, alternative ways to think about gender are suggested. The importance of integrating the information presented in this article into the curriculum of social work education is explained.