Objective: This study from Norway examines the relative influence of child sexual abuse (CSA) and family background risk factors (FBRF) on the risk for current mental disorders and the quality of current intimate relationships in women with CSA treated for anxiety disorders and/or depression. Women with these disorders frequently seek treatment,…

Objective: To examine family risk factors associated with dissociative symptoms among homeless and runaway youth. Method: Three hundred and twenty-eight homeless and runaway youth were interviewed using a systematic sampling strategy in metropolitan Seattle. Homeless young people were interviewed on the streets and in shelters by outreach workers…

This case study presents a theoretical analysis of implementing mode deactivation therapy (MDT) (Apsche & Ward Bailey, 2003) family therapy with a 13 year old Caucasian male. MDT is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that combines the balance of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) (Linehan, 1993), the importance of perception from…

Victim empathy is a widely used component of sex offender treatment throughout North America and Great Britain. Yet, it has been controversial over the past few years. One of the complications involves giving empathy a solid definition. Empathy was defined as the capacity to express compassion for victims. A multi-level system was developed to…

The purpose of the present study was to measure attitudes towards sex offenders held by professionals and paraprofessionals and to evaluate an introductory training workshop aimed at increasing knowledge and improving attitudes to this client group. Eighty-five residential hostel workers and probation officers attended an intensive two-day…

Background: The extensive research on prediction of risk in offenders has developed a number of reliable static risk predictors. There is also a developing body of work on proximal, dynamic risk factors and their importance in predicting violent and sexual offending. Although this work has not been done specifically on offenders with intellectual…

A summary of findings on consequences of maltreatment in early childhood and a discussion of major developmental issues during infancy and toddlerhood are presented. Salient features of sensitive and insensitive parenting during those periods and implications of this information for school psychologists are discussed. (JAZ)

Lists films and videotapes on child abuse, child neglect, incest, spousal abuse, and violence appropriate for junior and senior high school students and adult audiences. Suggested uses for these resources are to help abused youngsters speak more freely about their situations, to help identify abused children, and for parental instruction. (CDD)

Presents a model hypothesizing indirect effects of media sexual violence on aggression against women. Suggests that cultural factors and individual variables interact to affect thought patterns and other responses that may lead to antisocial behavior. Discusses relevance of model to current research trends, including laboratory and naturalistic…

Offers practical suggestions to teachers in situations where they suspect that a child is being sexually abused or where the child seeks assistance directly from them. Specifically addressed are two commonly asked questions: (1) How do I know? and (2) What do I say? (DST)

This commentary discusses the research article "Gender Differences in Abused Children with and without Disabilities" (Sobsey and others) that follows, which found that children with disabilities are at greater risk for being maltreated, that boys are more frequently abused, and that boys with disabilities are sexually abused more frequently than…

The case files of 1,834 abused children found more boys were physically abused and neglected, but more girls were sexually abused. Boys with disabilities were overrepresented in all abuse categories. Although 52% of abused children without disabilities were girls, 65% of abused children with disabilities were boys. (Author/CR)

The effects of stressful experiences on the psychological well-being of 113 homeless women and 116 low-income housed women were investigated. Measures of victimization assessed multiple dimensions of this construct, including criminal victimization, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse. Measures of daily environmental hassles and quality of family…

Examined roles of children's relationships (N=61 children) with their mothers in affecting school adaptation in maltreated and nonmaltreated children. Partially confirmed hypotheses that a secure relationship with mothers fosters positive school adaptation, while an insecure relation would contribute to maladaptive functioning. Results are…

Many women of low socioeconomic status who have contracted HIV qualify for individual, dual, and multiple psychiatric diagnoses that predate their knowledge of their HIV infection. Earlier intervention addressing these problems might have prevented the onset of psychiatric disorders as well as high-risk behaviors that lead to HIV infection. (FC)