Citation

Rasmussen LA, Miccio-Fonseca LC. J. Child Sex. Abus. 2007; 16(1): 85-106.

Affiliation

San Diego State University School of Social Work, San Diego, CA 92182-4119, USA. lucindarasmussen@cox.net

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

17255078

Abstract

Previous definitions of sexually abusive behavior in children and adolescents were deficient in failing to (1) highlight salient neuropsychological elements and antisocial behaviors that may contribute to a youth's functioning; (2) discriminate among possible types of coercion (e.g., manipulation, threats, physical force, and use of weapons); and (3) include predatory elements of sexual abuse against strangers or casual acquaintances. This article discusses a new comprehensive assessment tool that assists in defining sexually abusive youth. This tool, the Multiplex Empirically Guided Inventory of Ecological Aggregates for Assessing Sexually Abusive Children and Adolescents (Ages 19 and under) (MEGA; Miccio-Fonseca, 2006b), encompasses neuropsychological elements, coercive aspects, and predatory elements as essential factors to consider in comprehensive assessments of sexually abusive youth.

Language: en