Marshall and barbaree's integrated theory of child sexual abuse: A Critique

Abstract

The aim of the current article is to critically examine an extremely influential multi-factorial theory of child molestation, Marshall and Barbaree's (1990) integrated theory. This powerful model was developed as a general theory of sexual offending and used to explain the onset of child sexual abuse in addition to other forms of sexual deviance. Despite its prominent status the adequacy of its basic ideas have never been systematically evaluated. First, I describe the integrated theory in detail and outline its core assumptions. Next, these ideas are subject to critical analysis and I highlight its strengths and weaknesses. Finally, I conclude with some brief comments about the model and the role of theory development in the sexual offending area.     

A mixed methods study of the mental health and criminal justice histories of missing persons

Approximately 35,000 people are reported missing each year in Australia; rates elsewhere are even higher, with a recent UK study suggesting that a person goes missing every 2 min. Missing persons place a significant burden on police services; it is interesting, therefore, that very little research attention has been paid to this topic. This mixed methods study aimed to address this significant gap by analysing the mental health and criminal justice histories of a sample of missing persons and comparing them to rates in the general community. The study found that both mental health and criminal justice histories were significantly overrepresented among missing persons compared to those in the general community, and that young people reported missing commonly displayed suicidal behaviour. Results highlight at risk groups and suggest that criminality is much more commonly implicated in missing person incidents than previously thought.     

Child Abuse Potential: A Comparison of Subtypes of Maritally Violent Men and Nonviolent Men

Researchers have demonstrated an overlap between husband-to-wife violence and child abuse, but we know little about which maritally violent men are at greatest risk for engaging in child abuse. This study examined child abuse potential across 4 subtypes of maritally violent men (i.e., family only, low level antisocial, borderline/dysphoric, and generally violent/antisocial; Holtzworth-Munroe et al., and 2 comparison groups of nonviolent men (i.e., maritally distressed or not), using the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP; J. S. Milner [1986])). The results revealed that the borderline/dysphoric batterer subtype had significantly higher child abuse potential scores than all of the other violent subtypes and the nonviolent comparison groups. Theoretical and clinical implications are briefly discussed.     

Child Medical Evaluation Program: a statewide system for the medical and mental health evaluation of abused and neglected children

The Child Medical Evaluation Program examines 1500 children per year suspected by county social service departments of having subtle physical evidence of abuse or neglect. The program utilizes private practitioners, primarily pediatricians, in a systematic manner and provides consultation, direction, and quality control. The system is a unique, cooperative effort between private practitioners and county departments of social service. It is administered from a state university department of pediatrics. The cost is low, government involvement minimal, and the service extensive. The system is recommended to other states.     

The aftermath of child sexual abuse of African American and white American women: The victim's experience

Several aspects of the victim's personal experience in the aftermath of child sexual abuse are described. Subject recruitment involved a multi-stage stratified probability sample of 126 African American and 122 White women, ages 18 to 36 years in Los Angeles County, matched on education, marital status, and the presence of children. Few ethnic differences were related to the initial response and short-term effects of the victim's experiences. Lasting effects of sexual abuse included sexual problems for women of both ethnic groups, but avoidance of men resembling the perpetrator was identified among African American women. Ethnicity may be a contributing factor to other adjustment related problems that African American women encounter in addition to their child sexual victimization. The implications of these findings and issues in the assessment of the aftermath are discussed.     

Combatting those who intentionally access images depicting child sexual abuse on the Internet: A call for a new offence in England and Wales

In England and Wales, there are four main categories of offence surrounding images depicting child sexual abuse, those of making/taking, publishing, distributing and possession. Despite being in force for almost 40 years, it is argued that now, additional regulation is required. In response to technological provision such as private browsing, streaming and encryption which are providing investigative difficulties for digital forensic analysts, this article proposes the need to implement a fifth offence, one of ‘intentional accessing’ and debates the feasibility and justifications for doing so. Such an offence would also arguably support the effective transposition of Directive 2011/93/EU into English law. This proposal also coincides with the recent enactment of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, which enforces new data retention requirements on Internet Service Providers allowing offender Internet connection records to be stored for up to 12 months and potentially retrospectively investigated.     

The Imprint of Childhood Physical and Emotional Abuse: A Case Study on the Use of EMDR to Address Anxiety and a Lack of Self-Esteem

This article examines the use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in helping a client address problems with persistent anxiety and a lack of self-esteem. During EMDR treatment, the client explored the dichotomous thinking that had plagued her since childhood, and correspondingly, the role of childhood physical and emotional abuse in her chronic feelings of inadequacy and anxiety. The client experienced significant improvement in her levels of anxiety and problems with self-esteem, both at the end of treatment and at 1-year follow up. Qualitative and quantitative data are utilized in this case study outlining the use of EMDR with a client diagnosed with dysthymic disorder.     

History of spouse violence against mother: Correlated risks and unique effects in child mental health

The present study examined mental health risk associated with lifetime occurrence of spouse violence against mother among 303 10 to 12 year-old inner-city children. Maternal report data showed a 30% prevalence rate for lifetime occurrence of spouse violence in this sample. Results of correlational analyses indicated that violence against mother was associated with several other historical risk factors including divorce, parental drinking problems, and incarceration of father. Multiple regression analyses controlling for the effects of demographic and historical risk factors that correlated with violence against mother revealed that violence accounted for significant unique variance in girls' self-reports of conduct problems, but did not account for unique variance in boys' symptomatology. Implications of these results for understanding the effects of violence against mother on children and for the development of empirically based interventions for children in those families are discussed.     

Patterns of physical and sexual abuse for men and women in dating relationships: A descriptive analysis

A random sample of students at a large Midwestern University was selected in order to examine whether and how physical and sexual abuse were related to each other for men and women, whether abuse in one relationship was independent of abuse in other relationships, and how victims responded to abusive incidents. The results revealed several important patterns. When comparing the frequency of physical and sexual abuse for men and women, it was found that sexual abuse was more common than physical abuse, but only for women. Additionally, women experienced more sexual abuse than men. While men and women did not experience physical abuse in other relationships at more than chance levels, women who sustained sexual abuse in one relationship were more likely to sustain sexual abuse in other relationships. Furthermore, while sustaining physical and sexual abuse were not associated with one another for men, there was a weak association for women. Finally, victims of abuse were more likely to tell their friends they had been abused than report it to criminal justice authorities.Paper presented at the 1987 American Society of Criminology Meetings.     

Prevalence and Processing of Child Sexual Abuse: A Multi-Data-Set Analysis of Urban and Rural Counties

This study investigated how contextual factors affect the processing of child sexual abuse cases, from reporting to sentencing. We analyzed three types of data: (a) data compiled by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape from monthly reports by all rape crisis centers in the state; (b) data from the Pennsylvania Office of Children, Youth, and Families; and (c) sentencing data from the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing. Results indicated that aggregate rates of reporting, substantiation, and sentencing were affected by county levels of expenditure. In addition, reporting and substantiation were affected by county-level factors, such that rural counties, counties with a higher percentage of individuals living below the poverty level, counties with higher expenditures, and counties with a higher percentage of stranger assaults had higher rates of child sexual abuse reporting.     

Effects of Partner Violence and Physical Child Abuse on Child Behavior: A Study of Abused and Comparison Children

This study tests a model of the effects on child behavioral outcome of the child's exposure to partner violence and child abuse, in children who have experienced the two forms of victimization either separately or together. Recognizing that family contextual factors play an important role in influencing child outcome, an ecological model is proposed that designates family stress as the principal exogenous factor, with effects on child outcome mediated through caretaker distress, partner violence, and child abuse. The sample consists of 100 confirmed cases of physically abused New York City schoolchildren, ages 9 to 12 years, and their families, and 100 nonmaltreated classmates, matched for gender, age, and, as closely as possible, for race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, and their families. Child behavioral outcome is assessed by classmates for antisocial, prosocial, and withdrawn behavior and by parents and teachers for externalizing and internalizing problem behavior. Results are generally consistent with the hypothesis that partner violence and caretaker distress, both associated with family stress, increase the risk for child abuse and thereby raise the child's risk for poor outcome. Implications of differences among raters for the model's applicability, and implications of the results for clinical intervention, are discussed.     

An Archival Analysis of Actual Cases of Historic Child Sexual Abuse: A Comparison of Jury and Bench Trials

Logistic regression analyses were used to predict verdicts from 466 Canadian jury and 644 Canadian judge-alone criminal trials involving delayed or historic allegations of child sexual abuse. Variables in regard to the complainant and offence were selected from the legal, clinical, and experimental literatures, including mock juror research. Of six variables that had been related to decisions reached in mock juror research concerning delayed allegations of child sexual abuse (i.e., repressed memory testimony, involvement in therapy, length of delay, age of complainant, presence of experts, and frequency of abuse) two (age of complainant and presence of expert) predicted verdicts. An additional five variables (duration, severity, complainant–accused relationship, threats, and complainant gender) were also examined: of these, threats and the complainant–accused relationship reliably predicted jury verdicts. For judge-alone trials, five variables predicted verdict: length of the delay, offence severity, claims of repression, the relationship between complainant and accused, and presence of an expert. Implications of the jurors' and judges' differential sensitivity to these variables for future simulation and archival research are discussed.     

Evaluation of the assessment and treatment of a child sex offender: A case study

Abstract

There is indisputable necessity for engaging child sex offenders in effective therapy to reduce recidivist rates. However, it is becoming increasingly recognised that, to do this, more contemporary psychological methods of treatment are being utilised instead of, or as well as, imprisonment.

To establish what constitutes effective therapy requires the constant search for new and successful treatments. To achieve this, it is advantageous to follow preexisting successful methods of treatment but to acknowledge that therapy must be adapted according to an individual's unique presenting difficulties and therapeutic needs.

This paper details assessment techniques, evaluation of psychological dysfunctions, the therapy plan and treatment outcome of a convicted child sex offender. Specifically, Mr X's background history, psychological dysfunctions and progress, using a functional analysis approach, are examined in detail with critical review of the therapeutic intervention.     

Children and young people accused of child sexual abuse: A study within a community

This paper reports on a study of 227 children and young people, all living in a West Midlands city in the UK, who between November 1993 and December 1999 were accused of having sexually abused a child. The study had two main objectives: first to examine the alleged behaviours, family backgrounds and personal characteristics of the young people; and second to discover what factors, if any, may be associated with recidivism later in adulthood. It is still too early to draw firm conclusions regarding recidivism, because half of the sample has not yet reached adulthood. However, preliminary findings contradict the notion that many young people who display sexually abusive behaviour will grow into adult sex offenders.     

Mental Health Review Tribunals: A comparison of the content of tribunal reports for discharged and not discharged patients and for the effect of legal classification

Abstract

This study examined the content of reports provided for Mental Health Review Tribunals. A retrospective design was used to compare the tribunal reports of fifty patients. Two groups of twenty five patients were compared, one including patients discharged by tribunals and the other patients not discharged. Social combination theory and valence theory were used to analyse the content of the reports and to assess whether they were associated with tribunal outcome. Opinion statements discussing suitability for discharge were more closely associated with outcome than fact statements. For the statements presenting subjects positively or negatively, fact statements were more closely associated with outcome. The valence of both types of statements was also found to be related to outcome, with more positive values being achieved for discharged subjects. Comparison of reports written for previous tribunals before any of the subjects in the study were discharged indicated that those subjects who went on to be discharged at their next tribunal had the least negative valences. In addition to this, the effect of legal classification on outcome was explored, and indicated a difference in the valence of reports for discharged and not discharged patients, depending on classification of mental illness or psychopathic disorder.     

Domestic violence: A national study of the nature, size and effects of domestic violence in the Netherlands

This article reports on a large-scale nation-wide study conducted by Intomart among 1,000 randomly selected Dutch adults (male and female) about their experiences with domestic violence. An important goal of the survey was to generate general information on domestic violence. It turns out that nearly half of the Dutch population (45%) has at one time been a victim of some form of non-incidental domestic violence. It was also demonstrated that both men and women become victims of domestic violence, and the high percentages of victimization during childhood are particularly striking. Furthermore, it turned out that domestic violence often involves a combination of physical, mental and sexual forms of violence.     

A comprehensive 5-year evaluation of project 12-ways: An ecobehavioral program for treating and preventing child abuse and neglect

Evaluations of services designed to ameliorate the problems associated with child abuse and/or neglect (CAN) are relatively rare. The present investigation examines the impact of ecobehavioral services provided to families with extensive histories of CAN and examines the demographics of two groups of families. Project 12-Ways provides in-home ecobehavioral treatment to families referred by the state protective service agency. Impact data were collected and compared from families served by Project 12-Ways and families served by the stale protective service agency and other community programs. These data focused on the rates of CAN, placement of children outside of the parental home, and permanent termination of parental rights. Comparisons were made on pretreatment, treatment, and post-treatment rates. It was determined that both samples experienced significant decrements in CAN. While the two samples were equivalent in rates of CAN, data were presented showing differences in severity and priority of CAN which suggest that ecobehavioral services can be successful in reducing CAN. Thus, a heuristic model is available for evaluating CAN, including the manner in which the data were collected, the range of independent variables included, and the considerable span of the families' lives covered in the evaluation. These results suggest some modification of the way in which follow-up data are collected and used to change policy and practice.     

Fatal pulmonary embolism:: A comparative study of autopsy incidence in Hong Kong and Cardiff, Wales

All autopsy reports from 1990–1994 inclusive of the Department of Pathology, University of Hong Kong and the Wales Institute of Forensic Medicine were examined and cases of death due to massive pulmonary embolism were noted. The incidence of this condition was calculated and found to be insignificantly lower in the Hong Kong series than the Welsh series by statistical analysis, both in the crude incidence in all autopsies and when correcting for different case mixes in the two locations. The majority of cases in both locations were in the over-60 age group. The study helps refute the longstanding belief among Hong Kong physicians that fatal massive pulmonary embolism is rare in Hong Kong (with approximately 98% Chinese population) in comparison with a predominantly Caucasian population.