Comparing Sexuality, Aggressiveness, and Antisocial Behavior of Alleged Juvenile Sexual and Violent Offenders,

Exposure to sexual content and problematic sexual behaviors in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Exposure to sexual content, such as online pornography or live sexual content, has been posited in the literature as a risk factor for problematic sexual behaviors (PSBs) in children and adolescents, and has been identified as an important avenue for research and intervention, particularly given the ubiquitous access to technology among children.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between live/violent and non-violent sexual content exposure and PSB among children and adolescents. Objectives also include informing future research on sexual content exposure as a risk factor for PSB, and providing clinical recommendations related to prevention and intervention.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING

Results are based on 16,200 participants (28.65 % female; Mage = 14.26; range = 4.74-17.92) and 27 studies conducted in North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted of available literature published up to September 2021. Abstract and full-text review were conducted to assess whether studies met inclusion criteria. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted on included studies.

RESULTS

Significant associations were found between exposure to non-violent sexual content and likelihood of engaging in PSB (OR = 1.82; p < .001; 95 % CI: 1.50-2.21), and between exposure to violent/live sexual content and PSB (OR = 2.52; p < .001; 95 % CI: 1.75-3.61). Sex emerged as a moderator of the association between exposure to non-violent sexual content and PSB, such that the association was stronger in studies with a greater proportion of females.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support the need for future research on risk factors and mechanisms implicated in PSB. Prevention and intervention programs for children with PSB and their families could benefit from incorporating education on sexual content exposure.

The Hamburg Youth Prevention Project (HYPP) for adolescents with sexual interest in children

Paedophilic sexual interest is often linked to an emergence during adolescence, but concrete empirical knowledge on its development and early viable treatments remains scarce. The aim of this article is to provide an overview about the current state of research on juveniles with sexual interest in children as well as to introduce the Hamburg Youth Prevention Project (HYPP). The HYPP aims to better comprehend the development of sexual interests in adolescents and seeks to find a basis for improved treatment strategies during this critical developmental period. In this perspective, we outline the framework, goals, and treatment approach for this project. It addresses adolescents who are sexually attracted to younger children or engage in sexual acts with children and who have not yet been in contact with the justice system. The project offers a diagnostic process, anonymous counselling, and treatment. It is grounded in a biopsychosocial perspective on psychosexual development and an integrative family-centred approach. The project is based on the core assumption that in adolescent participants, there is still great flexibility for development, including their sexual interests.

Die Relevanz von Alterskontexten bei der Prävention und Repression des sexuellen Missbrauchs von Kindern und der kinderpornografischen Delikte unter Nutzung des Tatmittels Internet

Die vorliegende Untersuchung beschäftigt sich mit der Kontrastierung minderjähriger gegenüber erwachsenen Tatverdächtigen beim sexuellen Missbrauch von Kindern und bei kinderpornografischen Delikten unter Nutzung des Tatmittels Internet. Hierfür werden auf der Basis von Informationen der polizeilichen Datenbanken der Länder Berlin, Brandenburg, Sachsen und Sachsen-Anhalt verschiedene Tätertypen verglichen, wobei für den sexuellen Missbrauch von Kindern insgesamt 1353 Tatverdächtige und für die kinderpornografischen Delikte 8466 Tatverdächtige in die Analysen einbezogen werden konnten. Die Typenbildung rekurriert auf eine multidimensionale Berücksichtigung der Straftatkategorie in Verbindung mit dem Alter der Tatverdächtigen und Opfer. Die Tätertypen werden hinsichtlich zentraler Merkmale der Tatbegehung charakterisiert und einander gegenübergestellt. Den Analysen zufolge betten sich die internetbedingten Sexualstraftaten von Minderjährigen in einen anderen Merkmalskontext ein, als dies für erwachsene Tatverdächtige der Fall ist. Die Ergebnisse werden im Hinblick auf präventive und repressive Ansätze zur Verhinderung von Sexualstraftaten diskutiert, wobei auch die jüngste Reform der Sexualdelikte mit Bezug zu kindlichen Opfern einer kritischen Betrachtung unterzogen wird.

Intra- and Extra-Familial Victimization Experiences: Differentiating Between Incarcerated Serious Youth Offenders and Youth Rapists

Although research is becoming increasingly nuanced by exploring differential risk factors linked with types of youth offenders, typological distinctions have rarely been made between youth rapists and other serious youth offenders. This study tests the relative effects of intra- and extra-familial victimization-while holding other theoretically driven variables constant-on membership in three mutually exclusive youth offending groups: non-serious non-sexual offenders (n = 4,013), serious non-sexual offenders (n = 2,571), and rapists (n = 489). Data were drawn from the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement (SYRP). Incarcerated youth (N = 7,073) were surveyed on multiple constructs. Using appropriate weights in analyses, a multinomial logistic regression (referencing serious offenders) revealed youth who were victims of intra-familial physical abuse (22%) and intra-familial forced sex (42%) had a decreased risk of being in the non-serious offender category relative to the serious offender category. Furthermore, intra-familial emotional abuse (75%) and intra-familial forced sex (202%) demonstrated an increased risk of being in the rapist category relative to serious offender category. Although extra-familial victimization was statistically significant, victimization within the family had larger effects when predicting rape group membership. The research and practice implications are discussed.

Exploring sexuality profiles of adolescents who have engaged in sexual abuse and their link to delinquency and offense characteristics

Very few studies have taken a specific interest in the various sexual dimensions, beyond delinquent sexual behavior, of adolescents who have engaged in sexual abuse (AESA). Those that went beyond delinquent sexual behavior have report mixed results, suggesting they are a heterogeneous group. The current study used cluster analysis to examine the sexuality profiles of AESA, which included information on several sexual dimensions (atypical and normative fantasies and experiences, drive, body image, pornography, first masturbation, onset of sexual interest and first exposure to sex). Participants (N = 136) are adolescents who have engaged in sexual abuse involving physical contact, for which at least one parent also participated in the study. They were recruited from six specialized treatment centers and three youth centers in Quebec (Canada). Cluster analyses were performed to identify specific sexual profiles. Results suggest three clusters of AESA: 1- Discordant sexuality pertaining to adolescents who show mostly normative sexual interests, 2- Constrictive sexuality, characterizing adolescents who seem to be less invested/interested in their sexuality and 3- Overinvested sexuality for adolescents showing an exacerbated sexuality, including atypical sexual interest. Additional analyses (ANOVAs and Chi-square tests) reveal that five delinquency and offense characteristics were significantly more likely to be present in the Overinvested than the Constrictive cluster: non-sexual offenses, three or more victims, peer victims and alcohol and drug consumption. Advancing our knowledge on this topic can provide relevant data for clinicians to better target interventions.

Sexuality and Autistic-Like Symptoms in Juvenile Sex Offenders: A Follow-Up After 8 Years

Juveniles who have committed a sexual offense (JSOs) are thought to have abnormal sexual development, as well as increased ASD symptoms. In the current study, sexual development and behavior, as well as stability of ASD-like symptoms were assessed in a sample of 44 male JSOs (mean age 24.7 ± 1.5 years) 8 years after their sexual offence. JSOs exhibited less knowledge of sexuality, less positive attitudes towards pornography and more often reported having been a victim of verbal sexual intimidation than a matched normal population sample. ASD symptoms were relatively stable over the 8 years follow-up, indicating that social difficulties in JSOs may be part of life-long autistic-like traits. However, ASD symptoms were not related to alterations in sexual development or behavior.

The World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (WFSBP) guidelines for the treatment of adolescent sexual offenders with paraphilic disorders

The primary aim of these guidelines was to evaluate the role of pharmacological agents in the treatment of adolescents with paraphilic disorders who are also sexual offenders or at-risk of sexual offending. Psychotherapeutic and psychosocial treatments were also reviewed. Adolescents with paraphilic disorders specifically present a different therapeutic challenge as compared to adults. In part, the challenge relates to adolescents being in various stages of puberty and development, which may limit the use of certain pharmacological agents due to their potential side effects. In addition, most of the published treatment programmes have used cognitive behavioural interventions, family therapies and psychoeducational interventions. Psychological treatment is predicated in adolescents on the notion that sexually deviant behaviour can be controlled by the offender, and that more adaptive behaviours can be learned. The main purposes of these guidelines are to improve the quality of care and to aid physicians in their clinical decisions. These guidelines brought together different expert views and involved an extensive literature research. Each treatment recommendation was evaluated and discussed with respect to the strength of evidence for efficacy, safety, tolerability and feasibility. An algorithm is proposed for the treatment of paraphilic disorders in adolescent sexual offenders or those who are at risk.

Protective factors and recidivism in accused juveniles who sexually offended

To date, research on juvenile sexual offender recidivism has tended to focus on risk factors rather than protective factors. Therefore, very little is known about protective factors in the population of juveniles who sexually offended. The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of protective factors on non-recidivism in a sample of accused juveniles who sexually offended (N = 71) in a mean follow-up period of 47.84 months. Protective factors were measured with the Protective Factor Scale of the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk in Youth (SAVRY), and the Structured Assessment of PROtective Factors for violence risk (SAPROF). Criminal charges served as recidivism data. The internal scale of the SAPROF, in particular, yielded moderate predictive accuracy for the absence of violent and general recidivism, though not for the absence of sexual recidivism. No protective factor of the SAVRY did reveal predictive accuracy regarding various types of the absence of recidivism. Furthermore, protective factors failed to achieve any significant incremental predictive accuracy beyond that captured by the SAVRY risk factors alone. The potential therapeutic benefit of protective factors in juvenile sexual offender treatment is discussed.

Identifikation von Jugendlichen mit ausgeprägten Delinquenzrisiken

Ziel der vorliegenden Untersuchung war die Prüfung der Frage, ob das SPS-J sich zur Identifikation stark delinquenzgefährdeter Jugendlicher eignet. In einer regional repräsentativen Dunkelfeldstudie mit 3130 Bremer Schülern wurde auch der SPS-J eingesetzt. Auf Basis von Daten zu selbstberichteter Delinquenz wurden zwei Risikogruppen massiv delinquenzbelasteter Jugendlicher bestimmt. Über ROC-Analysen wurden Sensitivität und Spezifität von Subskalen und Einzelitems des SPS-J zur Vorhersage dieser Risikogruppen berechnet. Eine aus sieben Items bestehende Kurzskala konnte die besonders kritische Gruppe massiv delinquenter Jugendlicher (2.1 % der Gesamtstichprobe) zu 87.7 % korrekt vorhersagen. Die Rate falsch-positiver Klassifikationen war mit 17.7 % akzeptabel. In einer zweiten, unabhängigen regional repräsentativen Studie konnten diese Befunde repliziert werden. Demnach ist das SPS-J nicht nur zur Erfassung psychischer Auffälligkeiten geeignet, sondern kann auch genutzt werden, um Jugendliche mit erheblich erhöhten Delinquenzrisiken als Zielgruppe spezifischer Präventionsmaßnahmen frühzeitig zu erkennen.

Violence and sexual offending behavior in people with autism spectrum disorder who have undergone a psychiatric forensic examination

The increased awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) over the last few decades as well as the potential association between ASD and offending behaviors has spurred a need for increased research in this area. In order to explore any possible relationship between ASD and violent or sexual crime the present study examines all forensic examination reports over a 10-yr. period in Norway where the charged persons were diagnosed with ASD and charged with either a violent (N = 21) or a sexual (N = 12) offense. Differences between these two groups regarding previous contact with child welfare and confessions to the offense were found. There was also a tendency toward more severe mental health problems and less intellectual problems among the violent offenders than the sexual offenders.