TITLE: Attitudes
Toward Victims of Child Sexual Abuse Among Adults From Four Ethnic-Cultural
Groups.
AUTHOR: Rodriguez-Srednicki,
O.; Twaite, J. A.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1999
JOURNAL TITLE: Journal
of Child Sexual Abuse
SOURCE: 8(3):
pp. 1-24; Haworth Press, Inc.,
Binghamton, NY., 1999
ABSTRACT: Attitudes
toward a teen victim of sexual abuse were assessed among adults living in New
York City representing four ethnic- cultural groups: 40 were Cuban Americans;
46 were Puerto Ricans; 40 were African Americans; and 91 were Anglo-Americans.
Respondents read a vignette describing the teenage female victim, the perpetrator,
and the nature of the abuse. Then they completed on a semantic-differential consisting of 10 bipolar adjective rating
scales. Factor analysis of the ratings indicated that the respondents
conceptualized the victim in terms of a negative evaluation dimension and an
assertiveness dimension. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that the
Cuban American group evaluated the victim more negatively than the Puerto Rican
group. The ratings assigned to the victim on the assertiveness factor were
significantly lower among female respondents than among male respondents.
Results were interpreted as supporting the position that victims of child
sexual abuse may be stigmatized as a result of their experience, and that the
likelihood that this will occur may vary from one cultural group to another.
Clinicians working with victims should routinely assess the culturally related
attitudes of a victim's family toward the victim, the perpetrator, and the
meaning of the sexual abuse. 57 references and 6 tables. (Author abstract)
KEY TERMS: sexual
abuse; child abuse research; public opinion; social attitudes;
cultural differences; victim
blaming; parental reactions; parental attitudes
PUBLICATION TYPE: Journal
Article
INTERNET URL: http://www.haworthpressinc.com
TITLE: Incarcerated
Child Molestors' Perceptions of Themselves and Others.
AUTHOR: Horley,
J.; Quinsey, W. L.; Jones, S.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1997
JOURNAL TITLE: Sexual
Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Millbrook
Correctional Center, ON (Canada). Dept. of Psychology.
SOURCE: 9(1):
pp. 43-55; New York, NY, Plenum
Publishing Corp., January 1997
ABSTRACT: This
study was conducted to replicate and to expand earlier findings concerning
child molesters' perceptions of themselves, children, and adults. Sixty-eight
men incarcerated in the Ontario correctional system for sexual offenses against
children and 70 men with person-related' but nonsexual offenses participated in
the research. In accord with previous results, differences between molesters
and nonmolesters in terms of their actual and ideal self-descriptions on the semantic differential were found. Molesters described
themselves in less positive sexual terms than did nonmolesters. Women were seen
by molesters more negatively with respect to sexual and physical
characteristics than by nonmolesters, although, somewhat paradoxically,
molesters described women as more trusting and mature than nonmolesters did.
Molesters also reported a more positive view of women on the Attitudes Toward
Women Scale than comparison participants. Molesters and nonmolesters also
differed in terms of their responses to the Criminal Sentiments Scale, with
child molesters reporting a more favorable view of the police, courts, and
legal process than comparison participants. A similar finding was revealed in
ratings of authority figures: Child molesters described authorities as kinder
and less repulsive, deceitful, and unpleasant than comparison participants. All
scales employed revealed a moderate to high temporal consistency. Some clinical
implications and applications of the work are discussed briefly. 33 references
and 2 tables. (Author abstract)
KEY TERMS: sex
offenders; pedophiles; canada;
sex offenders therapy; self
concept; characteristics of abuser
PUBLICATION TYPE: Journal
Article
INTERNET URL: http://www.plenum.com
TITLE: Assessing
the Cognitions of Child Molesters: Use of the Semantic
Differential With Incarcerated Offenders.
AUTHOR: Horley,
J.; Quinsey, V. L.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1994
JOURNAL TITLE: Journal
of Sex Research
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Millbrook
Correctional Centre, ON (Canada).
SOURCE: 31(3):
pp. 171-179; Society for the Scientific
Study of Sexuality, Mount Vernon, IA., 1994;
p. 674
ABSTRACT: Although
the importance of examining child molesters' thoughts about themselves and
others is recognized, approaches to the assessment of molesters' cognitions
have yet to be examined in detail. This study compared the responses of 57
incarcerated child molesters, 50 incarcerated offenders without sexual
offenses, and 30 nonincarcerated men recruited from the community on a
specially constructed version of the Semantic Differential. The Semantic
Differential data showed a reasonable factor structure
and, when repeated on subgroups of respondents after roughly eight weeks,
acceptable temporal reliability. Differences emerged between molesters and nonmolesters
in their actual and ideal self-description (e.g., nonmolesters described
themselves as cleaner, harder, more erotic, and more seductive). Women were
seen as less erotic by molesters than nonmolesters. Within the child molester
group, offenders who had killed their young victims described males as more
deceitful but more seductive than did those with less violent offenses.
Modifications to the Semantic Differential
and implications for further forensic research and clinical work are discussed.
29 references and 6 tables. (Author abstract)
KEY TERMS: sex
offenders; assessment; psychological evaluation; characteristics of abuser; self concept; self evaluation;
cognitive measurement; cognitive
processes
PUBLICATION TYPE: Journal
Article
TITLE: Strengthening
Decision-Making: A Handbook for Indian Child Welfare Program Staff.
AUTHOR: Mannes,
M.; McDonald, W. R.; Ying-Ying, Y.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1988
SOURCE: American
Law Center Inc., Albuquerque, NM. Diffusion Center, 1988; 43 pp.
ABSTRACT: This
handbook offers ideas and suggestions to improve decision making while
remaining sensitive to the environments in which Indian child welfare programs
operate. A framework for understanding the process is presented, with
identification of major milestones and critical decisions. Decision making
tools are presented and the concept of decision support instruments is
introduced. Several such instruments are described and samples are presented.
Guidelines for management practice in the context of agency work are included.
Figures illustrate semantic networks of decision making. 15
references and numerous figures.
KEY TERMS: decision
making; american indians; child welfare services; program improvement; guidelines;
supervisors role; case
management
PUBLICATION TYPE: Technical
Report
TITLE: Psychologists'
Attitudes Toward Children Having Various Disabilities.
AUTHOR: Tolor,
A.; Geller, D.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1987
JOURNAL TITLE: Psychological
Reports
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Fairfield
Univ., CT. School of Graduate and Continuing Education.
SOURCE: 60(3):
pp. 1177-1178; Southern Universities
Press, Missoula, MT., 1987
ABSTRACT: Psychologists'
attitudes toward various disabling conditions in children were assessed on
three different measures: an Adoption Scale, a Semantic Differential Measure, and a Social Distance Scale.
Respondents were 61 members of two state psychological associations.
Disability-specific and measure-specific attitudes differed from those attitudes
reported in the literature for other groups. (Author abstract)
KEY TERMS: disabilities; adopted children; psychologists; waiting
children; special needs; evaluation
PUBLICATION TYPE: Journal
Article
TITLE: Characteristics
of a Helpful Relationship: A Study of Empathic Understanding and Positive
Regard Between Runaways and Their Parents.
AUTHOR: Spillane-Grieco,
E.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1984
JOURNAL TITLE: Adolescence
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Rutgers
Univ., Graduate School of Social Work, New Brunswick, NJ.
SOURCE: 19(73):
pp. 63-75; San Diego, CA, Libra
Publishers, Inc., Spring 1984
ABSTRACT: Runaways
were randomly matched to a group of adolescent nonrunaways to assess the
interpersonal relationship between runaways and their respective parents in
terms of empathic understanding and positive regard. Each group consisted of 30
teenagers matched for age, sex, family structure, and ethnicity. The parents of
the runaways numbered 43 (29 mothers and 14 fathers). Four different measures
were used: the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory (BLRI), which contains 2
separate scales for the measurement of empathic understanding and positive
regard; the Semantic Differential;
and a semistructured interview used with the runaways and their parents only.
Scores of the runaways in each category -- empathy from mother, from father,
and from parents -- were significantly lower than the scores of nonrunaways.
There were no significant differences in parents' BLRI scores. Runaways scored
significantly lower than the nonrunaways in each positive regard category
-positive regard felt from mother, from father, and from both parents. The
runaways' parents revealed extensive histories of problem-related incidents
associated with their children who eventually ran away. The findings confirmed
the assumption that the interpersonal relationship between the runaway
adolescent and his or her parents was influential in the decision to run away.
6 tables and 10 references.
KEY TERMS: runaway
children; father child
relationships; mother child
relationships; family problems
PUBLICATION TYPE: Journal
Article
TITLE: Women
Who Abuse Their Children.
AUTHOR: Rosen,
B.; Stein, M. T.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1980
JOURNAL TITLE: American
Journal of Diseases of Children
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: California
Univ., San Diego. Dept. of Pediatrics.
SOURCE: 134(10):
pp. 947-950; American Medical
Association, Chicago, IL, October 1980
ABSTRACT: A
comparative study involving 30 abusive and 30 nonabusive mothers was designed
to determine self-concepts typical of each group. The abusive mothers were
recruited from a counseling group at the Family Stress Center in Chula Vista,
California; the control group consisted of mothers attending the Pediatric
Primary Care Center at University Hospital in San Diego. Questionnaires
administered to both groups contained a demographic assessment form; Weedman's
Self-Concept Incongruence Scale, a 16-scale semantic
differential test designed to assess positive
self-concept, self-concept congruence, and self-concept inconsistency; and
Gordon's Survey of Interpersonal Values, a 6-scale forced-choice questionnaire
that measures the most salient values involved in a person's relationships with
others. Results indicated that the abusive mothers had lower self-concepts and
higher self-concept incongruence and inconsistency than the nonabusive mothers.
Abusers also were found to value authority more and conformity and benevolence
less than nonabusers. Practically applied, the data suggest that pediatricians
assume an educative and supportive role to enhance parents' self-concepts and
lower unrealistic expectations. In addition, there is a need to develop access
to support groups, day care, and other avenues for the mother's personal
growth. 16 references.
KEY TERMS: comparative
testing; maternal abuse; maternal behavior; self concept; rating
scales; pediatricians role; individual characteristics
PUBLICATION TYPE: Journal
Article
INTERNET URL: http://www.ama-assn.org
TITLE: Public
Opinion and Intervention in Child Neglect.
AUTHOR: Polansky,
N. A.; Doroff, C.; Kramer, E.;
Hess, D. S.; Pollane, L. P.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1978
JOURNAL TITLE: Social
Work Research and Abstracts
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: Georgia
Univ., Athens. School of Social Work.
SOURCE: 14(3):
pp. 11-15; Washington, DC, National
Association of Social Workers, 1978
ABSTRACT: A
method for exploring social values relevant to social work interventions is
described, and public opinion data concerning interventions in cases of child
neglect are presented. Results from 3 disparate samples show that assignment of
a social worker to a family, either to try to help improve child care or at least
to stay in touch, is regarded as both humane and likely to be effective, and
referral to a mental health practitioner is also well regarded. Respondents
were not in favor of society's refusal to take responsibility for action, nor
were they in favor of permanent removal of the children from the parents.
Punitive action, such as jailing the parents, also was not favored. Results
obtained from undergraduate students using the semantic differential technique appear generalizable to other
populations. 16 references.
KEY TERMS: child
neglect; social work; social workers role; attitudes;
questionnaires; social
values; public opinion; intervention
PUBLICATION TYPE: Journal
Article
INTERNET URL: http://www.naswpress.org
TITLE: Child
Abuse on Main Street: Semantics in the Suburbs.
AUTHOR: Guthrie,
A. D.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1975
SOURCE: In:
Ebeling, N. B.; Hill, D. A. (Editors). Child Abuse: Intervention and Treatment.
Acton, MA, Publishing Sciences Group, Inc., 1975; pp. 23-28
ABSTRACT: Incidence
data regarding child abuse seem to indicate a preponderance of cases in urban
areas and a paucity of reports from suburban areas, but this is probably not a
valid demographic indication for a number of reasons. A number of factors
contributes to the lack of identification of cases in suburban areas: large
centers for detection and treatment tend to be situated in large cities and
their medical schools; health care providers are generally reluctant to report
cases; services for other than the poor lack coordination; and private medical
care tends to be specialized in nature. The relatively small volume of reported
cases of neglect and abuse from the private sector suggests that the integrity
of the family takes precedence. Recent change in the Massachusetts reporting
statute expanding the number of professionals required to report is expected to
increase the efficiency of reporting. Educational programs for medical
personnel, improved communications among community-based service agencies, and
improved knowledge of and experience in family development and childrearing
practices are recommended. 4 references.
KEY TERMS: child
abuse reporting; massachusetts; child abuse laws; failure to report abuse;
educational programs; physicians
responsibility; interagency
cooperation; detection
PUBLICATION TYPE: Chapter
in Book
TITLE: The
MMPI: A Descriptive Measure of Psychopathology in Abusive Parents.
AUTHOR: Paulson,
M. J.; Afifi, A. A.; Thomason, M. L.; Chaleff, A.
PUBLICATION YEAR: 1974
JOURNAL TITLE: Journal
of Clinical Psychology
AUTHOR AFFILIATION: California
Univ., Los Angeles. Dept. of Psychiatry.
SOURCE: 30(3):
pp. 387-390; New York, NY, John Wiley
and Sons, Inc., July 1974
ABSTRACT: The
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) was administered to 33
mothers and 27 fathers referred to the UCLA Child Trauma Intervention Program
because of child abuse or neglect in the family. Their scores were compared to
those of 63 mothers and 37 fathers selected at random from the UCLA child
psychiatric outpatient clinic to discover which personality traits
distinguished maltreating parents from others. Maltreating parents were divided
into 3 groups: abusers (AB), passive abusers (those who had done nothing to
prevent a spouse's maltreatment (PA)), and absolute nonabusers (ANA); the other
subjects were controls (CO). PA mothers showed high interpersonal isolation,
paranoid-like thinking, antiestablishment conflicts, and depression. Anxiety, obsessional
thinking, ambivalence, self-doubt, introversiveness, and impulse potential were
also high. AB mothers showed low neurotic anxiety and minimal somatizing,
self-doubts, depression, or expressed insecurity. They also showed high
projection, antiestablishment conflict, and impulse potential. Their dominant
profile was 4-9-6. ANA mothers demonstrated the least psychopathology; their
profile was 9-4-2. AB fathers displayed a 9-4-2-6 profile with low
defensiveness and high psychotic-like measures. ANA fathers had low depression
and high sematic, hysterical-like denial. PA fathers
showed somewhat elevated defensiveness scores. CO fathers showed high neurotic
symptoms and interpersonal and authority conflicts but low idiosyncratic
thinking and psychotic-like symptoms. These findings indicate that MMPI scores
are useful in discovering high risk families and distinguishing different types
of maltreating parents. 12 references.
KEY TERMS: personality
tests; abusive parents; personality problems
PUBLICATION TYPE: Journal
Article
INTERNET URL: http://www.interscience.wiley.com