Children with Sexual Behavior Problems: Common Misconceptions vs. Current Findings

2003:

Fact Sheet:

Children with sexual behavior problems (SBPs) are children 12 years and under who demonstrate developmentally inappropriate or aggressive sexual behavior. This definition includes self-focused sexual behavior, such as excessive masturbation, and aggressive sexual behavior towards others that may include coercion or force. Recognizing these children and understanding the causes, impact, and treatment of the sexual behavior problems is a relatively new area of research and clinical practice. Some early assumptions about children with SBPs have not been supported by current research. This Fact Sheet will examine common misconceptions of children with SBPs along with the most recent findings.

This Fact Sheet was prepared through the National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY) at the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and was authored by Barbara L. Bonner, PhD, Mark Chaffin, PhD, and Keri Pierce, MSW. This project is funded by grant number 01-JR-BX-K002 from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), US Department of Justice. ..more..

NCSBY Glossary of Terms