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.     

Female victims of child sexual abuse: Adult adjustment

A questionnaire administered to a University sample of 245 female victims of sexual child abuse and 750 nonvictims attempted to determine whether abuse is related to poor adult social and psychological adjustment. The instrument consisted of three outcome measures of adjustment, variables directly related to abuse, perceived satisfaction with early family life, and demographic data. Only one of the outcome measures — the Texas Social Behavior Inventory — yielded a statistically significant difference between the samples. There was a steady, significant and progressive increase in maladjustment between the nonabused, the nonincestuously abused and the incest victims. When controls were applied for levels of satisfaction with early family life, differences between the abused and nonabused samples disappeared. Those abused as children who reported good treatment by parents exhibited no ill effects as adults on the TSBI.     

National survey of professional practice in child sexual abuse

A sample of 276 professionals described how they spend their professional time, their attitudes and knowledge about etiology and treatment of sexual abuse. Professionals were also asked to respond to a case vignette where varied on two dimensions: age of the child victim and relationship of the offender to the victim. Agencies receiving the questionnaire were randomly assigned to one of the six possible scenario conditions resulting from the two dimensions.     

The impact of questioning style on the content of investigative interviews with suspected child sexual abuse victims

Abstract

This study explored the influence of question type and interviewer style on the quantity and quality of responses offered by children in interviews for suspected sexual abuse. The analysis covered 36 investigative interviews conducted by polia officers under the Memorandum of Good Practice with children aged 4–7, 8–11 and 12–14 years. The dependent measures were the temporel length of children's answers and the number of criteria derived from Criteria Based Cornent Analysis (CBCA) they contained. Only 2% of all questions were open-ended, but just 3% were judged leading. Open questions were most effective with 12–14 year olds but not with younger children who provided nose information in response to specific yet not leading or closed questions. Longer answers containing move CBCA criteria were associated with interviews containing many affirmative utterances and verbal affirmations and a brief rapport. The implications of these findings for interview theory and practice are briefly discussed.     

Finkelhor's precondition model of child sexual abuse: A critique

Abstract

This paper critically discusses an extremely influential multi-factorial theory of child molestation, Finkelhor's Precondition Model. This model was one of the first comprehensive theories of the sexual abuse of children and represents a significant achievement. It provides a clear framework for approaching the study of men who have sexually abused children and has lead to both clear treatment goals and clinical innovations. It has rarely, however, been systematically critically examined and the cogency of its core constructs evaluated. Our analysis suggests that alongside its strengths, Finkelhor's Precondition Model has some conceptual problems. It suffers from vagueness; contains overlapping constructs; and a rich array of vulnerability factors that require teasing out and clarification. The model's attempts to provide a taxonomy highlight the diversity inherent in child sexual abuse, but it has not yet provided a structure to adequately inform treatment.     

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.     

Sex differences in the experience of child sexual victimization

This study analyzed 390 (303 girls and 87 boys) cases of child sexual abuse to understand sex differences in child sexual victimization. Analyses focused on three domains that have received considerable empirical attention: victims' relationships with the offender, type and extent of abuse, and disclosure. Findings largely replicated previous efforts that reported sex differences in terms of victims' relationships with offenders. Although results also replicated previous findings about sex differences in disclosure patterns, these sex differences were minor in comparison with similarities in the way most instances of abuse were eventually identified. In terms of type and extent of abuse, results were the opposite of previous findings: girls, not boys, were the victims of more physical injury, violent threats, and use of force; and girls, not boys, were more likely to have physically resisted abuse. Divergences in findings were interpreted in terms of memory biases and social forces operating differently on the sexes.     

In the aftermath of disclosing child sexual abuse: consequences,needs, and wishes

Experiencing child sexual abuse (CSA) can have enormous consequences for the victims. However, reporting rates are comparably low. Thus, it is essential to consider the wishes and needs of disclosing CSA victims in order to develop measures that can improve the disclosure and reporting of CSA. We analysed data of a subsample of n?=?394 victims of contact CSA from a representative victim survey (N?=?11,428) conducted by the Criminological Research Institute of Lower Saxony, Germany, in 2011. Overall, 76% of the victims disclosed their CSA experience to somebody. However, only 14% of the cases were made known to law enforcement agencies. Of the disclosing victims, only one-third was believed and 43% reported that the disclosure led to no further consequences. Overall, being believed as well as supported by the victims’ family proved to be crucial. Implications are discussed against the background of previous research.     

In their own voices: Report of a study on the later effects of child sexual abuse

Abstract

The purpose of this American study was to explore the later effects of sexual abuse in females. in pre or early adolescence. Based on interviews mith a sexually abused group and a comparison group. the study found that incidents of sexual abuse led to numerous harmful later outcomes for their victims. In contrast to a similar but non abused sample, the victim of abuse were characterized by: harboring thoughts of depression. death and suicidal ideation; experiencing lower self-esteem; having fewer close friends; experiencing more verbal altercatfons with their parent or parents; running away from home; having multiple sexual partners; engaging in sexual acti vity a t an earlier age; not using birth control; having an increased chance of becoming pregnant. andor an increased risk of contracting sexually transmitted disease, including HIV and AIDS. Based on these harmful later outcomes. there are many serious implications for child weUm policy and practice. The study's respondents valued assfstance that had helped them recover from the profound emotional trauma. However, they also indlcated that longer term services based in a multi-disciplinary setting, a one-stop facility in essence, would have provided them with more sensltive and effMtive assistance at the point of dfsclasure and subsequently.     

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 impact of stress on cognitive components of child abuse potential

The purpose of the present research was to test the effects of situational stress on the components of the cognitive behavioral model, including expectations, interpretations, and behavioral responses to child behaviors (Twentyman et al., 1985). It was predicted that parental abuse potential would be positively related to inappropriate expectations, to negative and internally caused interpretations of child behavior, and to negative parental responses. Second, it was expected that interpretations and responses would be more negative as child abuse potential increased. Sixteen mothers from a child abuse prevention and treatment program completed the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (Milner and Wimberly, 1980) and provided interpretations, evaluations, and responses to a set of vignettes depicting normal child behaviors. The data supported the hypotheses. As abuse potential increased, parent responses were judged as more controlling, punishing, rejecting, and aroused. High stress strengthened the magnitude of these responses. These findings were interpreted within the context of a cognitive behavioral model.     

Teaching Young Children to Discriminate Abusive From Nonabusive Situations Using Multiple Exemplars in a Modified Discrete Trial Teaching Format

Personal safety programs can teach young children knowledge and skills they can utilize to avoid or escape abduction and sexual abuse (Wurtele, 1990). An appropriate escape response will not occur, however, if the child is unable to discriminate an innocuous situation from a potentially abusive one. This study examines the crucial elements involved in training the recognition or discrimination phase in personal safety programs. A multiple probe design across three typically developing children, ages 5-years 7-months through 6-years 7-months, was used to determine whether rules and discrete trial training of discriminations of appropriate and inappropriate touch and situations generalized to puppet role-play scenarios. All participants showed increases in correct responding on generalization role-play probes and maintained these increases over a 3-and 6-week follow-up.     

The impact of abuse allegations in perceiving parricide in the courtroom

One hundred and seventy five undergraduates (105 females) read a fictional criminal trial summary of a parricide case in which the juvenile defendant alleged sexual abuse or physical abuse or did not allege abuse. An allegation of either type of abuse led to a greater likelihood of a manslaughter conviction than a murder conviction and greater pro-child ratings (e.g., sympathy toward the defendant) compared to no abuse allegations. Specific evaluations of the defendant mediated the verdict results. In addition, there was no support for the claim that perceptions are more heinous for sexual abuse than physical abuse allegations and only limited support that perceptions for this type of case result in women being more pro-child defendant than men. The discussion focuses on how abuse allegations impact jurors' decision-making processes in parricide cases.     

Partial bowel obstruction in a 2-month-old child. A delayed diagnosis of anal abuse

We present the case of an anal sexual abuse involving a 2-month-old boy, who was admitted to the Pediatric Surgery Unit of the University of Padua for low bowel obstruction. The infant had been already hospitalized for 3 days in a peripheral hospital and treated with daily rectal wash-outs for a fecaloma. Only after a careful interpretation of the plain abdominal radiograph, along with the performance of a rectoscopy and a laparotomy, a vegetable foreign body (about 3 cm in diameter and 7 cm in length) was discovered in the sigma. The morphology and dimensions of the foreign body, as well as its location, left no doubt about the etiology of the partial bowel obstruction, proving that it was clearly related to an anal sexual abuse.     

Analysing the sexual abuse of children by workers in residential care homes: Characteristics,dynamics and contributory factors

Abstract

This article analyses why workcrkhild s m l abuse occurs in residential children's homes. The importance of previously documented features, such as inadequate complaints and whistle blowing procedures, and poor vetting, training and supervision of stafi arc acknowledged. This exposition, however, concentrates on the tactics abusers employ to groom, entrap and silence children, whilst simultaneously controlling and silencing non-abusive staff. The success of these tactics is then contatualised within notions ojwebcrian rational-legal bureaucratic and charismatic power. as well as the location ofsomeabusers within entrenched pedophilenetworks. Contributory jactors, such as the enclosed and institutionaliscd nature of many settings and the inadequate, gendcrcd and haophobic manner in which stafloften deal with both sexuality and sexual abuse issues are also m i n e d and analyscd, as arc children's own gendcred prc-conceptions. Important theoretical constructions utiliscd include Goffman's theory of 'total institutions', the social construction ofchildhood, includingchitdhoodasdity and the concept of'organisation sexuality'.     

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.     

Running the gauntlet: An examination of initiation/hazing and sexual abuse in sport

Abstract

When does sport initiation become sexual abuse? What can sport organisations do to ensure that the practice of sport is a safe and high quality experience for all? In this paper research on the initiation practices used by the military and North American universities and sport teams is used to explore links between such practices and physical and sexual abuse. In particular, the dynamics of peer abuse, consent and expressions of masculinity are examined. We question whether there can be acceptable initiation practices in sport (Hoover, 1999) and challenge the place of these ‘macho rituals’ (Weinstein et at, 1995) in sport. We make particular use of an expanded version of the continuum of sexual abuse (Brackenridge, 1997b) and of the sport imperatives identified by Kirby, Greaves and Hankivsky (2000). The paper concludes with recommendations for best practices in athlete-centred sport.     

Family Context and Childhood Adjustment Associated with Intrafamilial Unwanted Sexual Attention

Unwanted sexual attention (UWSA) encompasses unsolicited verbal comments, gestures, stares, and other noncontact behaviors made regarding one's sexuality and physical appearance. The present study examined the correlates and impact of such UWSA perpetrated toward girls by family members. The first objective of the study was to explore whether family climate is associated with intrafamilial UWSA. This included looking at three types of dysfunctional parenting styles (unaffectionate, unavailable, and patriarchal) as well as exploring the co-occurrence of UWSA by adult and child relatives. The second objective was to then measure the impact of such intrafamilial UWSA on childhood emotional health, after controlling for parenting style and the experience of more traditional forms of child sexual abuse (CSA). Of the 296 university women (mean age = 19) who participated in the study, 70% (N = 206) reported UWSA from a family member prior to age 18. Whereas each dysfunctional parenting style was related to presence of UWSA, a simultaneous multiple regression analysis indicated that two of the parenting styles, patriarchal and parental unavailability, also predicted frequency of nonphysical UWSA within the family. Presence of UWSA from a child relative was significantly correlated with presence of UWSA from an adult relative. Additionally, a hierarchical multiple regression, entering the three parenting styles simultaneously in the first step, childhood sexual abuse in the second step, and familial UWSA in the last step, indicated that the frequency of UWSA by family members significantly predicted poorer childhood mental health when controlling for the other variables. Overall, results indicate that while the specific parenting styles which co-occur with UWSA may be detrimental in their own right, the impact of UWSA on girls appears to be above and beyond that of either parenting styles or CSA. Clinical implications are discussed.