{"title":"Adolescents in the Dunkelfeld: A Study of Help Seeking Minors Who Use Child Sexual Abuse Materials.","authors":"Viola Westfal","doi":"10.1177/10790632251351254","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632251351254","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study examines the characteristics of help-seeking minors (<i>n</i> = 117) who have consumed <i>child sexual abuse material</i> (CSAM) and who voluntarily sought support. 97% of the respondents were in <i>Dunkelfeld</i> at the time of data collection. About half of the respondents reported a pedohebephile sexual preference. The study found two distinct groups based on cluster analysis, primarily distinguished by their mental well-being. The results indicate that 60.7% of the participants had used CSAM in the last two weeks, with the most common content being medium severity on the COPINE scale (levels 6-9). The study suggests that minors are already aware of the problem and motivated to confront their problematic behavior. However, limitations such as potential bias due to self-reporting, self-selection and lack of control mechanisms must be considered. The findings underscore the necessity for the implementation of targeted prevention and intervention measures for affected groups, as well as for further research to validate and expand upon these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"10790632251351254"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144302771","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ralf Bergner-Koether, Lasse Peschka, Alexander Pastukhov, Claus-Christian Carbon, Sabine Steins-Loeber, Göran Hajak, Martin Rettenberger
{"title":"The Relevance of Hypersexuality and Impulsivity in Different Groups of Treatment-Seekers With and Without (Exclusive) Pedophilia.","authors":"Ralf Bergner-Koether, Lasse Peschka, Alexander Pastukhov, Claus-Christian Carbon, Sabine Steins-Loeber, Göran Hajak, Martin Rettenberger","doi":"10.1177/10790632241271204","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10790632241271204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Hypersexuality and impulsivity are regarded as risk factors for sexual offending against children. Studies exploring these factors in undetected men who offended or are at risk of offending are rare. This study aims to investigate hypersexuality and impulsivity in treatment-seeking men with and without a diagnosis of (exclusive) pedophilia who committed child sexual abuse (CSA), consumed child sexual abuse images (CSAI), or feel at risk of offending sexually. Data were obtained from three child abuse prevention projects in Bamberg, Germany. We employed self-report (BIS-11, HBI), objective measures (TSO), and risk assessment tools (STABLE-2007). We computed Bayesian ordinal logit and binomial generalized linear models to explore differences between groups and to predict lifetime CSA and CSAI. Hypersexuality scores were particularly pronounced in patients with exclusive and non-exclusive pedophilia. Patients without pedophilia scored similarly to nonclinical samples. Impulsivity measures did not consistently differ between groups. We could not predict lifetime CSA and CSAI using impulsivity and hypersexuality measures. Sexual rather than general impulsivity seems to be an issue in men with pedophilia. The motivation to offend in patients without pedophilia is discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"371-398"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11997290/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141894355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Allen Azizian, Angela W Eke, Linda Farmus, Shelby Scott, Michael C Seto
{"title":"Convergent and Divergent Validity of the Child Pornography Offender Risk Tool (CPORT) in a Clinical Sample From California.","authors":"Allen Azizian, Angela W Eke, Linda Farmus, Shelby Scott, Michael C Seto","doi":"10.1177/10790632241271245","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10790632241271245","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Child Pornography Offender Risk Tool (CPORT) is a seven-item actuarial risk assessment tool that is used to estimate the potential for sexual recidivism among men convicted of child sexual exploitation material (CSEM; legally referred to as child pornography) offenses. In the current study, we examined the convergent and divergent validity of the CPORT in a clinical sample of 224 men on federal probation in the United States who were convicted of at least one type of CSEM offense. CPORT scores were significantly, moderately, and positively correlated with scores on another sexual offense risk assessment tool, the Risk Matrix 2000 (RM2000/S), showing broad evidence of convergent validity, and was nonsignificantly associated with scores on a general offense risk assessment tool, the Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (LS/CMI), showing evidence of divergent validity. There was also evidence of specific convergent validity; for example, the CPORT item reflecting prior criminal history was most strongly related to the Criminal History domain of the LS/CMI, and CPORT items reflecting sexual interest in children were significantly and strongly associated with self-reported sexual interest in children from the clinical evaluation. We also examined the impact of including clinical information in the scoring of the CPORT. Including this information reduced the amount of missing scores, but the impact on predictive accuracy is not yet known. Implications for clinical practices are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"399-425"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141983247","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Explaining the Unexplainable: Balancing Responsibility, Expectations, and Identity in Narratives of Sexual Recidivism.","authors":"Ingeborg Jenssen Sandbukt","doi":"10.1177/10790632241268478","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10790632241268478","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>When someone is caught and punished for a sexual offense, recidivism prevention is of high priority. While a growing body of qualitative research has investigated the desistance process of those who have sexually offended, few studies have examined the narratives of individuals who have sexually recidivated in order to understand how they make sense of their reoffending. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature by exploring the recidivism process and broader life stories of 16 imprisoned men through semi-structured interviews. The results demonstrate how these men explain their recent \"failures,\" the obstacles they face when doing so, and how they attempt to overcome these obstacles in their narratives. Thus, the analysis in this study is both thematic and narrative. Finally, the findings' practical implications are discussed to show how ambiguity in narratives can be a powerful tool in correctional and clinical interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"448-475"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11997283/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141760937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Unveiling the Elephant in the Room: How do Psychologists Perceive Individuals Convicted of Sexual Offenses?","authors":"Sara Veggi, Marialaura Di Tella, Georgia Zara","doi":"10.1177/10790632241268457","DOIUrl":"10.1177/10790632241268457","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The societal reintegration of individuals with criminal records, particularly involving sexual offenses, faces challenges due to moral condemnation. Professionals' perspectives are pivotal in facilitating this reintegration process. This study surveyed 314 psychologists via a web-based experiment to assess their judgments regarding allegations of sexual violence and perpetrator's denial. Psychologists with experience in working with individuals convicted of sexual offenses showed a decreased propensity to grant prison benefits upon the progressive disclosure of the sexual offense, which diminished further in the presence of denial. For psychologists lacking such professional experience, judgment worsened solely with the discovery of the sexual offense, but not with denial. Psychologists not experienced in working with individuals with sexual convictions were generally found to have higher levels of malignant satisfaction than their experienced counterparts. Additionally, experienced psychologists exhibited a greater willingness to manage forensic cases and endorsed the effectiveness of treatment, while non-experts displayed less confidence in treatment efficacy, hesitancy in working with such individuals, and a propensity to delegate the case. Availability to handle the case diminished as more information surfaced for both groups. These findings highlight differences in professionals' attitudes based on experience and suggest implications for understanding punitive attitudes towards individuals with sexual convictions.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"476-498"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141760939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Child Sexual Abuse Material Users on the Darknet: Psychiatric Morbidities Related to Offence Behavior.","authors":"Johanna Lätth, Malin Joleby, Allison McMahan, Timothy J Luke, Christoffer Rahm","doi":"10.1177/10790632251347562","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632251347562","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Individuals engaging in child sexual abuse often present pedophilic interest, but the other psychiatric morbidities among undetected users of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) are largely unknown. We mapped the psychiatric profile of 160 mainly male and primarily non-convicted anonymous Darknet-recruited adult CSAM users. The participants' psychiatric morbidities were analyzed descriptively, and correlations between sexual pathologies known as risk factors for committing child sexual abuse (paraphilias, hypersexuality) and CSAM offense behavior (viewing time, content) were examined in a series of exploratory linear regression models. Pedophilic interests, hypersexuality, autism traits, ADHD, and depression were commonly reported. Further, hypersexuality was associated with CSAM viewing time (<i>r</i> = .295, <i>b</i> = 0.07, <i>p</i> = .001), zoophilic interest was associated with CSAM severity (<i>r</i> = .195, <i>b</i> = 0.46, <i>p</i> = .003) and both zoophilic and pedophilic sexual interest were associated with the age of the youngest child in CSAM viewed (<i>r</i> = -.218, <i>b</i> = -0.56, <i>p</i> = .01 and <i>r</i> = -.273, <i>b</i> = -1.01, <i>p</i> < .001). We conclude that CSAM users presented sexual pathologies, some related to their CSAM-use behavior, as well as multiple other mental health needs.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"10790632251347562"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144183152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ashley Dhillon, Lauren Gonzales, Laura B Lopez-Aybar
{"title":"Community Member Attitudes Toward Sexual Offenses and Trauma-Oriented Care: A Qualitative Exploration.","authors":"Ashley Dhillon, Lauren Gonzales, Laura B Lopez-Aybar","doi":"10.1177/10790632251343813","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632251343813","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>High rates of trauma are documented among individuals convicted of a sex offense. Public attitudes toward these individuals tend to be negative and often shape legislative responses and policies regarding sex offending sentencing and treatment. However, less is known regarding whether public attitudes may consider trauma and its relevance as a potential treatment target for those convicted of a sex offense. This study explored community member attitudes toward individuals convicted of a sex offense with histories of trauma. 295 participants were recruited via Prolific and responded to qualitative questions assessing their attitudes about the link between trauma and sex offenses, and whether trauma should influence sentencing and treatment outcomes. Analyses revealed main themes, including (1) Role of Childhood Trauma; (2) Outcomes and Management; and (3) Differences Between Individuals Convicted of Sex Offenses with versus Without Trauma History. Findings underscore the complexity of public attitudes toward this population and suggest trauma-informed interventions for those who commit sex offenses may receive public support if they also include emphasis on accountability for criminal sex behaviors. Implications highlight the need for trauma-informed interventions and public education to reduce stigma and support sex offending rehabilitation.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"10790632251343813"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144151772","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A Psychometric Evaluation of the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale - Subtle Version (IRMA-S-2022) and the Newly Developed Rape Myth Questionnaire - Short Form (RMQ-S) in Serbian Culture.","authors":"Ana Genc, Damjan Kopilović, Bojana M Dinić","doi":"10.1177/10790632251334755","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632251334755","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Rape myths are false beliefs about rape that blame the victim and excuse the person who committed rape. This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of two rape myth acceptance scales in Serbian culture: the Serbian adaptation of the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale - Subtle Version (IRMA-S-2022) and the newly developed Rape Myth Questionnaire - Short Form (RMQ-S) in Serbian. The sample comprised 601 adults (50.9% men) from the general population of Serbia. The results revealed the five-factor in addition to the bifactor five-factor model as the best solution for the IRMA-S-2022, whereas the RMQ-S showed a one-factor structure. Scores on both instruments were gender invariant, with men obtaining higher scores. Furthermore, the scores showed good reliability based on internal consistency. The high correlation between the two instruments confirmed their convergent validity, as well as positive correlations with hostile sexism and victim culpability. Overall, the results support the reliability and construct validity of both instruments, and indicate that the RMQ-S is a useful nine-item tool, whereas the IRMA-S-2022 offers deeper insights into the acceptance of various subcategories of rape myths.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"10790632251334755"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144023323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chloe I Pedneault, Chantal A Hermann, Danielle M L Hawthorn, Kevin L Nunes
{"title":"Attitude Toward Sexual Aggression Against Women (ASAW) Scale: Development and Structural Validity.","authors":"Chloe I Pedneault, Chantal A Hermann, Danielle M L Hawthorn, Kevin L Nunes","doi":"10.1177/10790632251334754","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632251334754","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We developed a new measure designed to facilitate research on the potential role of men's attitude toward sexual aggression against women in gender-based sexual violence: the Attitude toward Sexual Aggression against Women (ASAW) scale. We created a large pool of items, in which participants were asked to evaluate how bad it would be if they engaged in various sexually aggressive behaviors in a variety of scenarios. Three independent samples of men recruited from online panels (<i>N</i> = 380, 149, and 322) completed these items. Based on their responses, we retained 13 non-redundant items that had the most variance and covered a wide range of sexually aggressive behaviors (e.g., unwanted sexual touching; non-consensual sex), tactics (e.g., threatening to damage her reputation; using physical force), and contexts (e.g., the woman previously agreed to some sexual activity; the woman is intoxicated). An exploratory factor analysis found that all 13 ASAW items loaded strongly onto one factor, which suggests a unidimensional structure. If future research finds evidence for the construct validity of its scores, potential uses for the ASAW include risk assessment, treatment-related attitude-change, and research into the potential causal role of attitudes in sexual aggression against women.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"10790632251334754"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144027149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mirthe G C Noteborn, Martin Hildebrand, Jelle J Sijtsema, Jaap J A Denissen, Stefan Bogaerts
{"title":"Construction and Validation of the Implicit Theories of Sexual Offense Questionnaire (ITSOQ) in a General and (sub)Clinical Population Sample.","authors":"Mirthe G C Noteborn, Martin Hildebrand, Jelle J Sijtsema, Jaap J A Denissen, Stefan Bogaerts","doi":"10.1177/10790632251326555","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/10790632251326555","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study developed and assessed the psychometric properties of a questionnaire assessing Implicit Theories (ITs) of sexual offense (Polaschek & Ward, 2002; Ward & Keenan, 1999), named the Implicit Theories of Sexual Offense Questionnaire (ITSOQ). We used existing cognition questionnaires to create a potential item pool, and selected items based on item properties (e.g., mean, <i>SD</i>, range) from three male general population samples (<i>n</i> = 427) and three (sub)clinical population samples (<i>n</i> = 69), i.e., pedophilia-supportive forum users (<i>n</i> = 20), and sexual (<i>n</i> = 28) and violent (<i>n</i> = 21) forensic mental health system clients. A principal component analysis for the general population sample supported a four-component solution for the ITSOQ, including two victim-specific ITs (Factor 1: Children 14-16 years, Factor 2: Women), a sexual social desirability index (SSDI; Factor 3), and a component reflecting the antisocial uncontrollability IT (Factor 4). Analyses indicated measurement invariance, and higher scores for the (sub)clinical population were found for the antisocial uncontrollability and SSDI factors, with low to moderate effect sizes. Additionally, (small) associations between self-reported sexual interest in children and adults and the victim-specific child and women factors were found. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":21828,"journal":{"name":"Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment","volume":" ","pages":"10790632251326555"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144037791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}