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Psychological profiles of sexually abusive adolescents in Ireland
Alternative Title
Sexually abusive adolescents
Author(s)
Date Issued
2002-06
Date Available
2014-01-28T08:56:10Z
Abstract
Objective. This study aimed to profile the psychological and psychosocial characteristics of a group of Irish
adolescents who had sexually abused other youngsters.
Method. Levels of behaviour problems, personal adjustment, anger management and psychosocial
adjustment were compared in 27 Irish adolescents with a history of sexual abusing another youngster (SA
group); 20 clinical controls who had significant behavioural problems but no history of sexual offending (CC
group); and 29 normal controls who were without significant psychological problems (NC group). Measures
used included the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL); the Youth Self Report Form (YSR); selected scales
from Beckett (1997) Adolescent Sex Offender Assessment Pack (ASOAP); and the Family Environment
Scale (FES).
Results. Compared with the CC group the SA group displayed fewer problems overall on the CBCL and the
YSR. The SA group showed problems with self-esteem, emotional loneliness, and perspective taking similar
to those of the CC group, but their impulsivity scores were similar to those of the NC group. The locus of
control scores of the SA group fell between those of the CC and NC groups. The SA group showed an anger
management profile which fell at an intermediate position between those of the NC and CC groups. The SA
group showed problematic family functioning in the areas of expressiveness, behaviour control and social
support similar to those of the CC group. Their difficulties with family cohesion were less severe than those
of the CC group but worse than those of the NC group.
Conclusions. Overall the psychological adjustment of adolescents with a history of sexual abusing others
was more problematic that of normal controls but less problematic than that of youngsters who had
significant behavioural problems but no history of sexual offending.
Type of Material
Journal Article
Publisher
Elsevier
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect
Volume
26
Issue
4
Start Page
349
End Page
370
Copyright (Published Version)
2002 Elsevier
Language
English
Status of Item
Peer reviewed
This item is made available under a Creative Commons License
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