bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of Deliberate Denial in Child Abusers
Authors: LANYON RICHARD I. , DANNENBAUM STEPHEN E. , BROWN ALAN R.
Published: August 2008

This study examined the comparative validity of paper-and-pencil scales for faking-good only, faking-bad only, and both (so-called bipolar scales) in detecting denial among 125 suspected child abusers and spouses who were assessed in a real-life situation. Subjects who were known to be denying (according to a reliable external criterion) scored significantly higher on all three faking-good scales than those who did not deny their abusive behavior, but these subjects did not differ on their faking-bad scores. The discriminative ability of the bipolar scales fell in between. The results confirmed the utility of the three faking-good scales for detecting faking-good and also provided further support for the contention that faking-good and faking-bad are conceptually distinct.
Physical Child Abuse Perpetrator Characteristics
Authors: MILNER JOEL S. , CHILAMKURTI CHINNI
Published: August 2008

Physical child abuse continues to be a major social concern, particularly because the sequelae of physical child abuse can persist long after the experience of abuse. This article presents the practitioner with a representative, albeit not an exhaustive, review of perpetrator characteristics. Perpetrator variables are discussed under four major headings: social, biological, cognitive/affective, and behavioral factors. Each section contains a review of selected variables and a discussion of their possible roles in the occurrence of physical child abuse. Finally, implications for assessment and intervention programs are discussed. Given that no physical child abuse perpetrator typology has been adequately validated, it is underscored that interventions should be tailored to individual perpetrator characteristics with a consideration of factors from other ecological levels.
The Assessment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Battered Women
Authors: HOUSKAMP BETH M. , FOY DAVID W.
Published: August 2008

This study examined battered women's psychological symptoms using instruments developed to assess posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in other trauma victims. Women who had been in a physically violent relationship (n = 26) were assessed for PTSD using self-report measures and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID). Results indicated that 45% of those subjects interviewed met full DSM-III-R criteria for PTSD on the SCID, and that exposure to violence was significantly associated with PTSD symptomatology. When divided into high and low exposure groups based on degree of life threat, 60% of those in the high exposure group met criteria for diagnosable PTSD in contrast to a 14% rate in the low exposure group. These data suggest that battered women do experience symptoms of psychological trauma, and future cross-trauma research that includes this population, along with other previously identified trauma groups, would be beneficial.
Alcohol Abuse, Violence, and Neurological Impairment
Authors: HILLBRAND MARC , FOSTER HILLIARD G. , HIRT MICHAEL
Published: August 2008

The relationship between the frequency and severity of violence and three parameters of alcohol abuse (acuteness, chronicity, and age of onset) was examined retrospectively in a sample of forensic psychiatric patients. Subjects were further compared with respect to electroencephalographic characteristics. Acuteness and chronicity of alcohol abuse were found to be related to severity but not to frequency of violence. Acute alcohol abusers appeared to suffer from more severe central nervous system impairment than did nonabusers. Age of onset of alcohol abuse was found to have little impact on the variables examined. Results are discussed in the framework of empirically derived typologies of psychopathology.
Intimate Femicide
Authors: STOUT KAREN D.
Published: August 2008

This exploratory study identifies intimate femicide as a missing link in social science research on violence against women. This study examines women killed in the United States. Results indicate that approximately four women were killed by intimate partners every day during 1980, 1981, and 1982. Information is presented on the age of the victims and offenders, the weapons used to kill female intimate victims, the situation and circumstances surrounding the homicide, and the racial and ethnic backgrounds of victims. It is suggested that intimate femicide is a social problem that merits informed discussion, as well as additional research to explore in more depth the killing of women by male intimate partners.
Sex Guilt and Paraphilic Sexual Arousal
Authors: WILSON KEITH M. , ABEL GENE G. , COYNE BARRY , ROULEAU JOANNE-LUCINE
Published: August 2008

Erectile measures have proved to be a useful means of assessing sex offenders (paraphiliacs). However, subject characteristics may limit the validity of these measures. Sex guilt, a cognitive, dispositional measure, has been found to be a predictor of sexual behavior. The Mosher Sex Guilt Scale was administered to over 60 paraphiliacs seeking assessment of their sexual interests. Sex guilt scores were compared to erection measures of deviant sexual interests in the psychophysiologic laboratory. Sex guilt was found to have no statistically significant effect on deviant sexual arousal. In conclusion, sex guilt appears to pose no threat to the validity of erectile measures in assessing paraphiliacs.
Physical Punishment in Childhood and Current Attitudes
Authors: GRAZIANO ANTHONY M. , LINDQUIST CORINNE M. , KUNCE LINDA J. , MUNJAL KAVITA
Published: August 2008

A cross-cultural comparison was made using ad hoc college student samples in the United States and India. Students responded to a questionnaire yielding data on their childhood punishment history, personal evaluations of that punishment, and current attitudes toward use of physical punishment in child rearing. The data indicate that the majority of both national groups reported having been physically punished as children, physical punishment appears to be condoned more by U.S. than by Indian students, and in both cultures, more physical punishment in childhood is associated with its greater acceptance in adulthood.
Cognitive Functioning and Social Competence as Predictors of Maladjustment in Sexually Abused Girls
Authors: SHAPIRO JEREMY P. , LEIFER MYRA , MARTONE MARY W. , KASSEM LAYLA
Published: August 2008

In order to explain some of the variability in the degree of maladjustment exhibited by sexually abused children, behavior problems, social competence and cognitive functioning were assessed in 53 abused Black girls aged 5 through 16 years. Internalizing dysfunction was positively related to three cognition-related variables: intellectual functioning, academic achievement, and age. Anxiety specifically about the abuse was positively related to age. Parent-reported self-blame for the abuse was associated with high scores on the intellectual, academic, and emotional distress measures. Thus cognitively advanced victims seemed to experience more emotional distress. Externalizing dysfunction was associated with low social competence. Sexual acting out was associated with emotional distress, overt behavior disturbance, and low social competence. These results suggest that internal, subject variables affect the degree of dysfunction exhibited by sexually abused children.
Child Sexual Assault as a Risk Factor for Mental Disorders Among Women
Authors: SAUNDERS BENJAMIN E. , VILLEPONTEAUX LORENZ A. , LIPOVSKY JULIE A. , KILPATRICK DEAN G. , VERONEN LOIS J.
Published: August 2008

A community sample of 391 adult women was screened for a history of sexual assault during childhood and assessed for lifetime and current mental disorders using a structured victimization history interview and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule. One third of the women had been victims of rape, molestation, or sexual assault not involving physical contact prior to the age of 18 years. Child rape victims were more likely than nonvictims to have ever met DSM-III diagnostic criteria for a major depressive episode, agoraphobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia, and sexual disorders. Molestation victims were overrepresented on major depressive episode, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sexual disorders. Noncontact child sexual assault was not a significant risk factor for any disorder. Child rape and molestation victims were more likely than victims of noncontact assault to have had crime-related posttraumatic stress disorder. Mental disorder lifetime prevalence risk ratios for child rape and molestation victims versus nonvictims ranged from 1.5 for major depressive episode to 6.7 for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Characteristics of Child Victims of Physical Violence
Authors: KOLKO DAVID J.
Published: August 2008

This article reviews recent empirical studies that examine the short- and long-term sequelae of physical child maltreatment (PCM). The current status of research examining the impact of PCM on children's development (e.g., medical, cognitive) and psychosocial functioning (e.g., psychiatric disorders, behavioral, interpersonal, academic, affective) is reviewed. Major findings are discussed in the context of pertinent qualifications of existing evidence. To encourage clinical-research advances in this area, recent developments and future directions pertaining to the areas of conceptualization, assessment/methodology, and intervention are described.
Preliminary Results of Aggression Management Training for Aggressive Parents
Authors: ACTON ROBERT G. , DURING SARA M.
Published: August 2008

Four factors associated with parenting have been proposed as being key in the development of the physical abuse of children: (a) physiological arousal in the face of child-related stress, (b) poor communication and parenting strategies, (c) problems in empathic responding, and (d) ascribing negative intentionality to negative behavior. A number of studies have reported on efforts at treating physically aggressive parents with anger management training and with behavior management skills. The current study took a step beyond reporting treatment outcome from a single-case design to studying the impact of a group treatment approach. Twenty-nine aggressive parents were treated with a standardized group treatment over the course of 13 weeks. The treatment focused on anger management, communication skills, problem-solving skills, and the enhancement of empathy. Results indicated that parents, after treatment, reported improvements in their relationships with their children along with less anger. Generally, parents' scores on evaluation questionnaires moved from the clinical range to the normal range posttreatment. This suggests that this type of approach may be useful in reducing aggressive interactions between parent and child.
Elder and Child Abuse
Authors: UTECH MYRON R. , GARRETT ROBERT R.
Published: August 2008

This article reviews the meaning and uses of elder and child abuse concepts and percepts in the reporting of events and research. The review examines the apparent parallels in the conceptions and perceptions from the earliest literature to the present. The child victim was implicitly perceived as a helpless, dependent creature, and only young to middle-aged adults were classified as perpetrators. When elder abuse was “discovered” in the middle to late 1970s, the elders were also perceived as helpless and dependent victims and never labeled as offenders. The stereotypical nature of the concepts and the labeling of the victims has hampered the reporting of the maltreatment and impaired the accuracy of the research. The development of more accurate and complete knowledge about family violence will be forthcoming when victim and offender stereotypes are discarded and when more intensive research in the multifaceted dynamics of family structure and interaction eliminates past and present biases.
The Relationship Between Dimensions of Interparental Conflict and Adjustment in College-Age Offspring
Authors: HANSON ROCHELLE F. , SAUNDERS BENJAMIN E. , KISTNER JANET
Published: August 2008

This article presents research from a recently completed study investigating the relationship between college-age offsprings' perceptions of several dimensions of interparental conflict (i.e., frequency, type, duration, and content) and indicants of adjustment (i.e., depression, externalizing behavior problems, dating, peer relationships, and attitudes toward marriage). Subjects were 320 (179 females, 141 males) undergraduate students from a southeastern university who met inclusion criteria as determined by an initial screening instrument administered to all students enrolled in the introductory psychology course. Subjects completed measures on demographic information, their perceptions of interparental conflict, and adjustment. Canonical correlations and follow-up stepwise multiple regression analyses indicated that frequency of interparental conflict was the most important predictor of depression, externalizing behavior problems, and negative views towards marriage for the females. No significant relationships between interparental conflict and outcome were obtained for the males. The findings of this study indicate the importance of conducting a multidimensional analysis of interparental conflict, as well as gender differences, in response to interparental conflict.
Wife Battering and Violence Outside the Family
Authors: KANDEL-ENGLANDER ELIZABETH
Published: August 2008

The current survey of 2,291 males (nationally representative) questioned respondents about their violence toward their wives and their violent behavior toward individuals who were not in their families. The resulting data suggested that the vast majority of violent males specialized in their choice of victims; that is, they chose to assault only wives or nonfamily members, but not both. Only 10% of the violent males reported assaulting both wives and nonfamily individuals. Finally, it was noted that individuals who assault outside of the family were more likely to be employed in blue-collar jobs than either nonviolent individuals or individuals who only assault within the family.
The Abuse History of Male Adolescent Sex Offenders
Authors: BENOIT JEFFREY L. , KENNEDY WALLACE A.
Published: August 2008

This study of 100 adolescent males incarcerated in a secure residential training school in Florida found no statistical differences in frequency or intensity of sexual or physical victimization between groups divided according to the crimes they committed; all groups had individuals who were repeatedly victimized. Neither sexual nor physical victimization appears to be a necessary or sufficient reason for victimizing others. This study suggests that the relationship between being a victim of sexual or physical abuse and subsequent offending is not direct; other factors must be in operation. One final, surprising finding is that offenders in all four groups were impaired in sexual identity.
Characteristics of Sexually Repressed Child Molesters
Authors: SIMKINS LAWRENCE
Published: August 2008

This was an exploratory investigation the purpose of which was to compare sexually repressed and nonrepressed child abuse offenders on therapy progress and on a battery of personality and research instruments. From information obtained on a psychosexual history interview, 68 child molesters were categorized as either repressed, nonrepressed or exploitive. Results indicated that a significantly larger proportion of therapy failures were offenders who were sexually repressed. There were also significant differences between repressed and nonrepressed offenders on some of the special research scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, the Burt Rape Myth Scales, some of the Multiphasic Sex Inventory scales and the Mosher's Sex Guilt Scale. Differences on these measures are consistent with the characteristics of intrafamilial child molesters reported in the clinical and research literature. The results of this investigation are, however, quite speculative due to the small sample size of the repressed group. It is also conceivable that differences in treatment effectiveness between repressed and nonrepressed groups may be attributable to differences in social skills rather than to sexual repression.
An Experimental Study of Factors Influencing the Acceptability of Dating Violence
Authors: BETHKE TERESA M. , DeJOY DAVID M.
Published: August 2008

This study examined the relative acceptability of dating violence. Using an experimental design, subjects read descriptions of dating violence that varied according to the seriousness of the relationship, the sex of the perpetrator, and the setting in which the violence took place. Subjects were more tolerant of violent behavior when the depicted relationship was serious and when the perpetrator was female. Relationship status affected not only acceptability but also the appropriateness of various actions that might be taken following the episode, particularly those that would alter or end the relationship. Violent behavior by a male was judged to be less acceptable, more injurious, and more criminal. In addition, relative to female victims, male victims were seen as needing less recourse or redress. Male and female subjects presented essentially similar histories of dating violence (both victimization and perpetration), and previous experience did not affect responses to the dating scenarios.
A Comparative Study of Male and Female Rape Victims Seen at a Hospital-Based Rape Crisis Program
Authors: FRAZIER PATRICIA A.
Published: August 2008

The purposes of this study were to gather descriptive information on male rape victims and to compare male and female victims in regard to victim and assault characteristics and immediate postrape symptoms. Data were analyzed from 74 male and 1,380 female rape victims seen at a hospital-based rape crisis program over an 8-year period. Male and female victims were similar in terms of age, race, and prior victimization, although characteristics of male and female assaults differed somewhat. Specifically, male victims were more likely to have been raped by more than one assailant and by a Caucasian assailant, and were less likely to have been physically harmed. Male victims also were rated as more depressed and hostile immediately postrape than female victims. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
The Prediction of Sexual Aggression by Alcohol Use, Athletic Participation, and Fraternity Affiliation
Authors: KOSS MARY P. , GAINES JOHN A.
Published: August 2008

Alcohol, athletics, and fraternities have been targeted in the popular media as primary causes of sexual aggression on campus. Except in the case of alcohol, the empirical data supporting these associations is weak. The present study assessed the joint contribution of these three variables to the prediction of sexual aggression among a sample of 530 undergraduate men including 140 athletes representing all varsity sports. Approximately 11% of the variance in the level of sexual aggression was accounted for by four variables including self-reported intensity of alcohol use and degree of athletic participation, but not fraternity affiliation. The alcohol and athletic variables also discriminated those men who reported participating in gang rapes ( N = 17) from those not involved. Although significant prediction was achieved, the results must be viewed cautiously as the power of the effects was small. The article concludes with the implications of the findings for rape prevention education.
Victim Reactions During Rape/Sexual Assault
Authors: GALLIANO GRACE , NOBLE LINDA M. , TRAVIS LINDA A. , PUECHL CAROL
Published: August 2008

Overt signs of victim resistance during rape are critical issues in the handling of and recovery from rape/sexual assault. However, a substantial number of victims do not resist the attacker in any way. Tonic immobility (TI), a well-known involuntary, reflexive response to fear-inducing stimuli, may aid in explaining the paralysis and “freezing” of many rape victims. In the present study, rape survivors were classified as immobile, intermediate, or mobile, based on a self-report measure. The immobile group manifested significantly more of the specific features associated with tonic immobility. Thirty-seven percent of the sample clearly demonstrated immobility during the attack. Various postrape behaviors and attitudes were found to be associated with the incidence of the immobility response.
Introduction
Authors: KILPATRICK DEAN G.
Published: August 2008

Although interest in the topic of rape has increased to record levels, controversy remains about the answers to several critically important questions about the scope of rape, the psychological impact of rape, the best methods for treating rape-related problems and rape prevention. Given the strong emotional reactions that rape generates, it is important to base opinions, services, and public policy on the best empirical research possible. The four articles in this special section address the aforementioned questions from a research perspective, reviewing extant research, identifying methodological shortcomings of that research, and making recommendations about how future research can be improved. Because America's rape problem is so large and the mental health impact of rape is so great, the need for more methodologically sound research is equally great.
Detecting the Scope of Rape
Authors: KOSS MARY P.
Published: August 2008

This article focuses on rape prevalence research and examines the relationship between measurement methods and level of rape detection. After a brief overview of empirical data, the relative threat to the validity of prevalence estimates posed by fabrication versus nondisclosure is weighed. Then various methodological choices and their relationship to the magnitude of prevalence estimates are examined. Addressed are the definitions underlying the studies, the questions used to elicit reports of rape, the context in which rape questioning occurred, the confidentiality of the responses, the method of data collection, and the sample integrity. The conclusions include 10 recommendations for the design of future studies of rape prevalence.
The Psychological Impact of Rape
Authors: RESICK PATRICIA A.
Published: August 2008

The purpose of the present article is to review the literature on the psychological impact of rape on adult female victims. Typical patterns of recovery, types of symptoms, and variables affecting recovery are all reviewed. Among the problems discussed are fear and anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, poor self-esteem, social adjustment issues, and sexual dysfunctions. The moderating variables that are reviewed are preassault variables such as prior psychological functioning and life stressors; within-assault variables such as acquaintanceship status, level of violence, and within-crime victim reactions; and postassault variables such as social support and participation in the criminal justice system.
Treatment of Rape Victims
Authors: FOA EDNA B. , ROTHBAUM BARBARA OLASOV , STEKETEE GAIL S.
Published: August 2008

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be one of the debilitating and harmful effects of sexual assault. Although many forms of intervention exist for rape-related PTSD, only a few well-controlled studies have been conducted to systematically evaluate the treatment response of women who have been the victims of sexual assault. Overall, cognitive-behavioral interventions for rape-related PTSD, with single or multiple treatment components, have been found to result in a decrease or remission of posttrauma sequelae when compared to no treatment or wait-list control conditions. This article highlights the general methodological issues that are pertinent in the design of studies to evaluate the treatment outcome of rape-related PTSD. The wide range of psychological interventions for the treatment of postrape sequelae are reviewed and special attention is given to cognitive-behavioral interventions because these treatments have been subjected to more rigorous empirical examinations. Finally, suggestions are made to improve the assessment of rape-related PTSD and to predict treatment response in rape victims.
Risk Factors and Sexual Assault Prevention
Authors: McCALL GEORGE J.
Published: August 2008

Sexual assault prevention programming remains a confused, scattered, and sporadic enterprise with little scientific underpinning. This situation reflects general American policy biases against sexuality-related interventions and against “merely preventive” programs. More distinctively, sexual assault prevention suffers because it fully fits neither the traditional crime-prevention model nor the traditional public-health model of prevention programming. Technical and political consequences of this fundamental ambiguity are traced, and some consideration is given to a transcendental alternative model.
The Process of Coping with Incest for Adult Survivors
Authors: ROTH SUSAN , NEWMAN ELANA
Published: August 2008

The process of coping with sexual trauma is defined in terms of trauma themes—affect and schema categories—and a dimension along which trauma resolution can be measured in regard to these themes. The recovery process is a dynamic one that involves integration of traumatic material into one's personality. Thematic issues define the abusive dynamics that drive current behavior and become the focus of psychotherapeutic interventions. Integration of traumatic experiences proceeds by the processing of these thematic issues. Reliably and validly measuring the coping or recovery process that is facilitated by therapeutic interventions is a first step in understanding the treatment process and in creating effective and efficient interventions.
A Stage-by-Dimension Model of Recovery From Sexual Trauma
Authors: LEBOWITZ LESLIE , HARVEY MARY R. , HERMAN JUDITH LEWIS
Published: August 2008

This article articulates a model of treatment-facilitated recovery from sexual trauma. The model integrates (a) an ecological view of psychological trauma, (b) the idea that recovery from interpersonal trauma generally unfolds in progressive stages, and (c) a multifaceted definition of what constitutes recovery from psychological trauma. Examples of the model's application are presented, and the implications for treatment and research are discussed.
Designing Outcome Studies
Authors: BEUTLER LARRY E.
Published: August 2008

Methodological issues are addressed for those who design studies that evaluate treatment efficacy among victims of early sexual abuse. Recommendations are provided for ensuring (a) representative samples, (b) stable and valid measures, (c) statistical power and low error rates, (d) treatment integrity, (e) little contamination from therapist effects, (f) protection from unintended experimenter influences, and (g) clinically meaningful findings. It is concluded that at least two lines of integrated inquiry are needed: (a) studies that seek to determine the degree to which responses to early sexual victimization are different from those associated with other early traumas, and (b) studies that seek to understand how well different interventions “fit” the needs and response dispositions of different victims. Both naturalistic and randomized trials designs are adaptable to the developmental level of this field of inquiry.
Factors Predicting Severity of Physical Child Abuse Injury
Authors: HEGAR REBECCA L. , ZURAVIN SUSAN J. , ORME JOHN G.
Published: August 2008

This article reviews the research literature about predictors of severe and fatal physical child abuse, an important question for the design of risk assessment instruments for use at child welfare intake. Of various factors relating to the victim, the perpetrator, and the report of child abuse, the only one found in this review of the literature to relate consistently to severity of injury is the age of the child. All other questions concerning prediction of injury severity have yet to be answered satisfactorily. In conclusion, design suggestions for future studies of injury severity are presented.
Alcoholism and Elder Abuse
Authors: ANETZBERGER GEORGIA J. , KORBIN JILL E. , AUSTIN CRAIG
Published: August 2008

A comparison group study of abusing and nonabusing caregivers suggested a correlation between alcohol use and abuse and violence against elderly parents. Findings reveal that abusers were more likely than nonabusers to drink, to become intoxicated, and to be identified as having a drinking problem. Policy and practice implications are discussed.
Nurses' Responses to Child Abuse
Authors: O'TOOLE ANITA W. , O'TOOLE RICHARD , WEBSTER STEPHEN , LUCAL BETSY
Published: August 2008

According to interactionist theory, recognition and reporting of child abuse will vary by characteristics of the event, characteristics of the observer, and characteristics of the organization in which the process occurs. To test hypotheses derived from this theory, a factorial survey design was employed. A probability sample of nurses ( N = 1,038) responded to vignettes where case characteristic variables were systematically manipulated. Analysis using ordinary least squares regression showed that case characteristics involving type and level of seriousness of abuse, perpetrator status, and perpetrator psychology had the greatest effects on the average recognition and reporting scores. Victim age and gender had consistently significant but small effects on both recognition and reporting. Perpetrator account had mixed effects on recognition and reporting. The addition of nurse characteristics and organizational characteristics accounted for a small additional amount of the variance.
The Impact of Court on Children
Authors: LIPOVSKY JULIE A.
Published: August 2008

Concerns about possible negative impacts to children as a result of participating in the criminal justice system have led to discussions about altering the process in ways that accommodate the specific developmental and emotional needs of children. However, before making major changes to the system, it is essential to answer several questions. This article reviews research addressing the following questions: (a) How frequently do children testify in court? (b) Is involvement in the criminal justice system, particularly providing testimony in criminal court, harmful to child witnesses? (c) Do suggested innovations in practice reduce children's court-related distress? Research findings related to these questions are then discussed in terms of their application to practice with children as witnesses within the criminal justice system.
Viewing the Abusive Parent and the Abused Child as Captor and Hostage
Authors: GODDARD CHRISTOPHER R. , STANLEY JANET R.
Published: August 2008

The authors draw attention to the fact that many behavioral characteristics found in the terrorist/hostage literature appear to have a parallel in the behavior of the abuser and abused child. These include similar personality characteristics, circumstances around the violence, and beliefs held by both the terrorist and the abuser, as well as similar defensive behavior adopted by the hostage and the abused child. Insights into the reality of the abusive experience can be gained when viewed from the perspective of captor/hostage theory. If the theory can be supported by empirical evidence, different approaches to intervention in child abuse will be implied.
Powerlessness and the Need to Control
Authors: PETRIK NORMAN D. , OLSON REBECCA E. PETRIK , SUBOTNIK LEAH S.
Published: August 2008

Male abusers who attended a 6-month outpatient Domestic Abuse treatment program and their female partners completed measures of powerlessness and tolerance for being controlled, both before and after the men completed treatment. Before treatment: (a) both men and women felt powerless; (b) men had a very low tolerance for being controlled, and the women tolerated moderate amounts of control; (c) men and women accurately perceived their partners' tolerance for being controlled; and (d) the women perceived the men to be more powerful than the men perceived themselves. Contrary to the study's hypothesis, treatment failed to decrease abusers' powerlessness or to increase their tolerance for being controlled. The most noteworthy indication of change as a result of treatment was a somewhat greater similarity between men's and women's perceptions of male powerlessness after treatment. The authors speculated that the group therapy treatment program emphasizing shame reduction helped men to acknowledge their powerlessness more openly and consequently move toward decreasing control of their partners.
Aspects of Disclosure
Authors: LAMB SHARON , EDGAR-SMITH SUSAN
Published: August 2008

This research investigates the relationship between disclosure and adult outcome. In the study, 60 volunteers completed a phone interview regarding their history of sexual abuse, history of repeated disclosures, and current socioemotional functioning. Number of disclosures and number of positive disclosures were not related to adult functioning as measured by the Brief Symptom Inventory. Reactions to adulthood disclosure were perceived as significantly more helpful than reactions to childhood disclosures. Across all explored disclosures, the more direct the disclosure, the more negative the reaction. It is unclear, based on the lack of findings in this study, whether revealing sexual abuse has a healing effect.
Telling the Secret
Authors: ROESLER THOMAS A. , WIND TIFFANY WEISSMANN
Published: August 2008

A questionnaire survey of 755 adults sexually abused as children, asking about the circumstances of their disclosure to the first person they told, resulted in 286 responses of which 228 were from female victims of incest. Individuals were asked basic demographic information, details about their abuse, who they first told, the reaction of the first person told, and reasons why they delayed telling or finally did tell. The women in this sample told in three groups. Those telling their parents first were likely to tell in childhood. A second group telling friends, other family members, or partners were more likely to tell in early adulthood. A third group, those telling therapists, revealed the abuse at a later age. Those revealing the incest to parents in childhood received a worse reaction than did those waiting until adulthood. When women disclosed to parents prior to age 18, the incest continued for more than a year after the disclosure in 51.9% of the cases. The women in this sample who disclosed as children were likely to be met with disbelief or blame rather than with support, validation, and protection.
Correlates of Psychopathy in a Noninstitutional Sample
Authors: BELMORE MICHAEL F. , QUINSEY VERNON L.
Published: August 2008

Community subjects were assigned to one of two groups based on a semistructured interview. The interview was composed of a set of eight items from the Psychopathy Checklist and a set of eight items pertaining to childhood and adolescent problem behaviors, both of which have been shown to predict violent recidivism among offenders and membership in a psychopathy taxon. The 15 highest scoring subjects were assigned to a “high” group and the 15 lowest to a “low” group. Data from nine intermediate scoring subjects were discarded. As predicted, high subjects scored lower on the Socialization Scale, scored higher on the Impulsiveness Scale, and played more cards in a computerized card-playing task in which there was a declining probability of success. It appeared that high subjects played more cards because they found the task more rewarding than did low subjects instead of having difficulties in modulating their responses. This research indicates that men with psychopathic characteristics are easily recruited from the community through the use of screening questions pertaining to childhood history.
Refining the Intergenerational Transmission Hypothesis
Authors: MacEWEN KARYL E.
Published: August 2008

The theory that aggression within the family of origin predicts the later enactment of family aggression is refined by suggesting that several features of family of origin aggression should be considered when trying to understand the intergenerational transmission of family aggression. These include the frequency and severity of family of origin aggression, the impact of the aggression, identification with parents, model and observer gender, and whether the aggression was witnessed or experienced. A total of 73 dating men and women participated. A multiplicative index explained a significant proportion of the variance in current relationship aggression over and above each of the individual components. It is concluded that the intergenerational transmission of family aggression depends on certain features of the original learning situation.
Preventing the Psychological Maltreatment of Children
Authors: FORTIN ANDRÉE , CHAMBERLAND CLAIRE
Published: August 2008

Psychological violence and other forms of psychological abuse constitute the most frequent type of child maltreatment within the family setting. To effectively prevent psychological maltreatment, answers to four questions must be provided: First, what is the nature and scope of the problem (what to prevent)? Second, toward whom should intervention be directed (who is at risk)? Third, in what situations or milieus is the problem most likely to be observed (where should intervention be targeted)? Finally, which preventive strategies are the most effective (how to intervene)? This article addresses these questions and identifies both the challenges and resources available for intervention, primarily by focusing on the risk and protection factors associated with the psychological maltreatment of children.
Deficits in Intimacy and Empathy in Sexually Aggressive Men
Authors: LISAK DAVID , IVAN CAROL
Published: August 2008

One explanation for male sexual aggression implicates certain adverse consequences of male gender socialization. It is argued that “masculinization,” especially in its more extreme forms, leads to hostility toward, and a devaluation of, women, and to a reduction in the capacity for empathy and the need for intimacy with others. Together, these effects are thought to produce a predisposition for sexual aggression against women. The two studies reported here tested the hypothesis that sexually aggressive men would be more gender stereotyped and would manifest lower capacities for empathy and intimacy. Results were mostly supportive of the hypothesis.
Child Sexual Abuse Interviews
Authors: LEVY HOWARD B. , MARKOVIC JOHN , KALINOWSKI M. NOEL , AHART SHARON , TORRES HERIBERTO
Published: August 2008

Although anatomic dolls have been in use for almost two decades, a number of clinicians and legal professionals dispute the reliability of information obtained through their use. This study examines (a) the interrater reliability of information obtained during child sexual abuse assessments that used a clinical assessment interview protocol featuring anatomic dolls and (b) the patterns of disclosure and doll demonstration across the subject's age, gender, and case outcome. Issues of interrater reliability focused on the comparison of questionnaire responses of interviewers with those of unobtrusive observers. Particular items examined for reliability included children's specific disclosure statements, doll demonstrations associated with specific disclosure statements, and those affective/expressive behaviors of children that may be salient considerations in a clinical assessment. Interrater reliability was highest for questions addressing children's statements and lowest for those addressing affective/expressive behaviors. Results suggest specific areas of observation and interpretations that tend to be typically ambiguous as well as those that may be more dependent on the experience and skill of the interviewer.
Trauma Symptom Inventory
Authors: BRIERE JOHN , ELLIOTT DIANA M. , HARRIS KATHRYN , COTMAN ANN
Published: August 2008

This article examines psychometric characteristics of the 100-item Trauma Symptom Inventory (TSI) in a sample of 370 psychiatric inpatients and psychotherapy outpatient men and women. The 10 clinical scales of the TSI had a mean α of .87, with αs ranging from .74 for Tension Reduction Behavior to .90 for both Depression and Intrusive Experiences. A self-reported history of interpersonal trauma (in child- or adulthood) was associated with elevations on all TSI scales relative to those not reporting victimization. Post hoc multiple regression analyses indicated that client age, sex, inpatient versus outpatient status, childhood sexual and physical abuse, and adult sexual assault were unique predictors of various TSI raw scale scores. Sex interacted with other predictors in several instances; women with sexual- or physical-assault histories scored higher on Depression and Intrusive Experiences, and men battered in a relationship scored higher on Sexual Concerns and Dysfunctional Sexual Behavior.
The Federal Response to Crime Victims, 1960-1992
Authors: MARION NANCY E.
Published: August 2008

The federal government has responded to the victims' movement by proposing and passing legislation to expand the rights and protection of victims of crime. This study describes the federal activity surrounding victims of crime and traces the history of federal legislation and spending from the Kennedy administration to the Bush administration. It demonstrates that the federal government has become more active in the fight to provide victims with increasing rights, but has done so slowly. The symbolic nature of victims' compensation programs and victim impact statements is also discussed.
Evaluation of a Prevention Program for Violence in Teen Dating Relationships
Authors: LAVOIE FRANCINE , VÉZINA LUCIE , PICHÉ CHRISTIANE , BOIVIN MICHEL
Published: August 2008

Dating violence prevention programs have been implemented since the 1980s but there is still a shortage of studies evaluating these programs. There are even fewer studies for programs targeting teens. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of a primary prevention program on dating violence for teens and to compare two different program formats while carefully observing whether particular individuals such as boys or students with negative attitudes at pretest showed any deterioration in their attitudes. The program's effectiveness was demonstrated with boys (N = 222) and with girls (N = 295) from two different schools.
Outcome of Group Treatment for Sexually Abused Adolescent Females Living in a Group Home Setting
Authors: SINCLAIR JAMIE J. , LARZELERE ROBERT E. , PAINE MARY , JONES PAULA , GRAHAM KAY , JONES MARK
Published: August 2008

The present study examined pre- to posttreatment changes on several outcome variables following a group treatment for sexually abused adolescent females living in a group home setting. The treatment, called SAY Group, is a 20-week, closed-enrollment group that employs a cognitive-behavioral, PTSD-informed approach. Pre- and posttest assessments were completed by 43 SAY Group participants and by their group-home caregivers. Significant improvements were found on adolescent self-report measures of internalizing and externalizing problems, PTSD symptoms, and self-worth. No significant improvement was noted for depression. Caregivers reported significant improvement on internalizing behavior problems and PTSD symptoms, but not on externalizing problems. Preliminary findings indicate that SAY Group is effective in reducing symptoms commonly associated with sexual abuse.
The Electronic Bulletin Board: A Computer-Driven Mass Medium
Authors: Rafaeli Sheizaf
Published: August 2008

The public access electronic bulletin board is a medium which serves middle-sized audiences. It is a growing medium both in terms of audience size and in proliferation of outlets. Its public image has been charged with a mix of exaggerations. The present paper argues that the medium and its audiences deserve an investigation that precedes assumptions of positive or negative massive effects. Instead, its special participative and interactive nature prescribes a uses-and-gratifications approach to the study of motivations and actual use. In a survey of the participants in one such electronic bulletin board the findings paint a picture of quite extensive use, usually carried out for purposes other than those emphasized by either pessimists or optimists. The role of Ludenic (or play) motivation and behavior is given special attention in the context of studying the use of this computerized application as a medium.
Computing and the Political World
Authors: Danziger James N.
Published: August 2008

After a framework for conceptualizing the impacts of computing on the political world is briefly described, four broad types of impacts are analyzed: capabilities, interactions, orientations, and value distributions. Generalizations, based on a synthesis of empirical research, summarize our current understandings about the impacts of computing on politics and public sector organizations. Overall, computing has increased the information power, efficiency and centralization of control within the political world. Political interactions have become more transparent and complex, hence more difficult. While political orientations seem little changed to this point, computing has generally reinforced the existing distribution of power and values.
Software Reviews : Statview, Version 1.0
Authors: Sidel Philip S.
Published: August 2008

STATVIEW, "The Graphic Statistics Utility of the Macintosh," provides a good set of accurate descriptive and relational statistics for students and researchers. Well-integrated into the Macintosh environment, it provides easy access to standard univariate statistics, t-tests, correlations, regression, analysis of variance, contingency table analysis, and 11 major non-parametric tests. Data input and transformations are reasonably easy, and output tables and simple graphs can be viewed on the screen and printed on your attached printer.
Software Reviews : Statpal
Authors: Davis James A.
Published: August 2008

An unusually user-friendly statistical package ( AIVOVA, breakdown, correlation, descriptive (univariate) statistics, histograms, nonparametrics, regression, scatterplot, bivariate cross-tabs, t-tests) for smallish data sets (e.g., 50 cases), typed in or fetched from a second diskette. The program is menu-driven, with a reasonable repertoire of transformation, deletion, and editing options.
Software Reviews : M-Stat, Version 1.09
Authors: Harper Dean H.
Published: August 2008

This is a menu-driven set of 12 programs for data analysis. Data can be continuous or discrete. Analysis programs include cross-tabulation, regression, analysis of variance, discriminant analysis, factor analysis, and non-parametric methods as well as plotting and data reduction.
Software Reviews : Stat 1
Authors: Bretschneider Stuart
Published: August 2008

STAT 1 is a menu-driven statistical package that contains excellent data management software including a full-screen editor for entering data, documentation about data, or detailed labels for variables or values. The package allows for extensive data manipulations, and includes descriptive statistics, histograms, scatter-grams, contingency table analysis, parametric and non-parametric difference in means testing, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, ANOVA, MANOVA, and smallest space analysis, a form of multidimensional scaling.
Software Reviews : TRAJECTORIES TS (Time Series), with Version 4.0 of the user's manual
Authors: Clarke Richard
Published: August 2008

TRAJECTORIES TS is a general-purpose statistical package for microcomputers. It provides a variety of statistical and file-handling procedures. The time series component is limited to data transformations, such as moving averages, lagging a variable, and creating seasonal indices. It does not address higher order concerns such as autocorrelation.