The purpose of this study was to evaluate psychosocial adjustment and psychopathology among men sexually abused during their childhood and arrive at a better understanding of the reasons for which, following such sexual experiences, some adult males manifest greater distress than others. In total, 64 participants were interviewed and completed eight questionnaires covering various aspects of childhood and adult life. Results suggest the existence of three types of sexual abuse scenarios. Participants in each of these three groups presented with an adult-specific adjustment. However, the methodology and multivariate analyses used in this study suggest that some of these problems were not only associated with the sexual contacts but also with other childhood experiences and with the participant's cognitive, affective, and psychological resources.
Alexander, P. C. (1992). Application of attachment theory to the study of sexual abuse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 602, 185-195.
2.
Alexander, P. C., & Lupfer, S. L. (1987). Family characteristics and long-term consequences associated with sexual abuse. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 16, 235-245.
3.
American Psychiatric Association. (1980). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(3rd ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.
4.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders(4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
5.
Baker, A. W.,& Duncan, S. P. (1985). Child sexual abuse: Astudy of prevalence in Great Britain. Child Abuse & Neglect, 9, 457-467.
6.
Bartholomew, K.,& Horowitz, L. M. (1991). Attachment styles among young adults: A test of a fourcategory model. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 226-244.
7.
Bartholow, B. N., Doll, L. S., Joy, D., Douglas, J. M., Bolan, G., Harrison, J. S., et al. (1994). Emotional, behavioral, and HIV risks associated with sexual abuse among adult homosexual and bisexual men. Child Abuse & Neglect, 18, 747-761.
8.
Beitchman, J. H., Zucker, K. J., Hood, J. E., DaCosta, G. A., Akman, D., & Cassavia, E. (1992). A review of the long-term effects of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 16, 101-118.
9.
Berliner, L. (1991). Therapy with victimized children and their families. New Directions for Mental Health Services, 51, 29-46.
10.
Bernard, F. (1981). Pedophilia: Psychological consequences for the child. In L. L. Constantine& F. M. Martinson (Eds.), Children and sex(pp. 189-199). Boston: Little, Brown.
11.
Boisvert, M., Lussier, Y., Sabourin, S., & Valois, P. (1996). Styles d'attachement sécurisant, préoccupé, craintif et détaché au sein des relations de couple [Secure, preoccupied, fearful and avoidant attachment in intimate relationships]. Science et comportement, 25, 55-69.
12.
Boudewyn, A. C.,& Liem, J. H. (1995). Childhood sexual abuse as a precursor to depression and selfdestructive behavior in adulthood. Journal of Trauma and Stress, 8, 445-459.
13.
Browne, A., & Finkelhor, D. (1986). Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research. Psychological Bulletin, 99, 66-77.
14.
Calam, R., Horne, L., Glasgow, D., & Cox, A. (1998). Psychological disturbance and child sexual abuse: A follow-up study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 22, 901-913.
15.
Cermak, P.,& Molidor, C. (1996). Male victims of child sexual abuse. Child& Adolescent Social Work Journal, 13, 385-400.
16.
Cicchetti, D., Cummings, E. M., Greenberg, M. T.,& Marvin, R. S. (1990). An organizational perspective on attachment beyond infancy: Implications for theory, measurement and research. In M. T. Greenbert, D. Cicchetti, & E. M. Cummings (Eds.), Attachment in the preschool years: Theory, research and intervention(pp. 3-49). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
17.
Condy, S. R., Templer, D. I., Brown, R.,& Veaco, L. (1987). Parameters of sexual contact of boys with women. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 16, 379-394.
18.
Constantine, L. L. (1981). The effects of early sexual experiences: Areviewand syntheses of research. In L. L. Constantine & M. M. Martinson (Eds.), Children and sex(pp. 217-244). Boston: Little, Brown.
19.
Conte, J. R. (1985). The effects of sexual abuse on children: A critique and suggestions for future research. Victimology: An International Journal, 10, 110-130.
20.
Derogatis, L. R. (1977). SCL 90-R administration scoring and procedures manual I. Baltimore, Maryland: Clinical Psychometrics Research.
21.
Derogatis, L. R., & Cleary, P. A. (1977). Confirmation of the dimensional structure of the SCL-90. A study in construct validation. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 33, 981-989.
22.
Derogatis, L. R., Rickels, K.,& Rock, A. F. (1976). The SCL-90 and the MMPI: Astep in the validation of a new self-report scale. British Journal of Psychiatry, 128, 280-289.
23.
Dhawan, S., & Marshall, W. L. (1996). Sexual abuse histories of sexual offenders. Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment, 8, 7-15.
24.
Doll, L. S., Joy, D., Bartholow, B. N., Harrison, J. S., Bolan, G., Douglas, J. M., et al. (1992). Selfreported childhood and adolescent sexual abuse among adult homosexual and bisexual men. Child Abuse & Neglect, 16, 855-864.
25.
Egeland, B., Kalkoske, M., Gottesman, N., & Erickson, M. F. (1990). Preschool behavior problems: Stability and factors accounting for change. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and allied disciplines, 31, 891-909.
26.
Elwell, M. E.,& Ephross, P. H. (1987). Initial reactions of sexually abused children. Social Casework, 68, 109-116.
27.
Etherington, K. (1997). Maternal sexual abuse of males. Child Abuse Review, 6, 107-117.
28.
Faller, K. C. (1993). Child sexual abuse: Intervention and treatment issues. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
29.
Faller, K. C. (1989). Characteristics of a clinical sample of sexually abused children: Howboy and girl victims differ. Child Abuse & Neglect, 13, 281-291.
30.
Falshaw, L., Browne, K. D.,& Hollin, C. R. (1996). Victim to offender: Areview. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 4, 389-404.
31.
Feiring, C., Taska, L., & Lewis, M. (1999). Age and gender differences in children's and adolescents' adaptation to sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 115-128.
32.
Finkelhor, D. (1979). Sexually victimized children. New York: Free Press.
33.
Finkelhor, D. (1990). Early and long-term effects of child sexual abuse: An update. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21, 325-330.
34.
Finkelhor, D., & Browne, A. (1985). The traumatic impact of sexual abuse: An update. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21, 325-330.
35.
Finkelhor, D., Hotaling, G., Lewis, I. A.,& Smith, C. (1990). Sexual abuse in a national survey of adult menandwomen: Prevalence, characteristics, and risk factors. Child Abuse& Neglect, 14, 19-28.
36.
Fischer, G. J. (1991). Is lesser severity of child sexual abuse a reason more males report having liked it?Annals of Sex Research, 4, 131-139.
37.
Fondacaro, K. M., Holt, J. C.,& Powell, T. A. (1999). Psychological impact of childhood sexual abuse on male inmates: The importance of perception. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 361-369.
38.
Fortin, F.,& Coutu-Wakulczyk, G. (1985). Validation et normalisation d'une mesure de santé mentale: Le SCL-90-R[Validation and normalization of a mental health measure: The SCL-90-R] Final report, research granted by Conseil Québécois de la Recherche Sociale. Québec, Canada.
39.
Fortin, F., Coutu-Wakulczyk, G.,& Engelsmann, F. (1989). Contribution to the validation of the SCL-90-R in French-speaking women. Health Care for Women International, 10, 27-41.
40.
Fox, R. L. (1995). Sexual abuse of males: A new questionnaire and descriptive characteristics of the abuse of males (childhood sexual abuse). Dissertation Abstracts International, 56(4-B), 2323-2323.
41.
Freeman-Longo, R. E. (1986). The impact of sexual victimization on males. Child Abuse & Neglect, 10, 411-414.
42.
Friedrich, W. N., Urquiza, A. J., & Beilke, R. L. (1986). Behavior problems in sexually abused young children. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 11, 47-57.
43.
Fromuth, M. E.,& Burkhart, B. R. (1987). Childhood sexual victimization among college men: Definitional and methodological issues. Violence Victims, 2, 241-253.
44.
Fromuth, M.,& Burkhart, B. (1989). Long-term psychological correlates of childhood sexual abuse in two samples of college men. Child Abuse & Neglect, 13, 533-542.
45.
Gartner, R. B. (1999). Betrayed as boys: Psychodynamic treatment of sexually abused men. New York: Guilford.
46.
Genuis, M., Thomlison, B.,& Bagley, C. (1991). Male victims of child sexual abuse: Abrief overview of pertinent findings. Journal of Child & Youth Care, Special Issue: Child Sexual Abuse, 1-6.
47.
George, C., Kaplan, N., & Main, M. (1996). Adult attachment interview. Unpublished manuscript, Department of Psychology, University of California.
48.
Gerber, P. N. (1990). Victims becoming offenders; A study of ambiguities. In M. Hunder (Ed.), The sexually abused male, Vol. 1: Prevalence, impact, and treatment(pp. 153-176). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books & D.C. Heath.
49.
Gill, M.,& Tutty, L. M. (1997). Sexual identity issues for male survivors of childhood sexual abuse: A qualitative study. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 6, 31-47.
50.
Gold, S. N., Lucenko, B. A., Elhai, J. D., Swingle, J. M.,& Sellers, A. H. (1999). Acomparison of psychological/psychiatric symptomatology of women and men sexually abused as children. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 683-692.
51.
Goldman, R. J., & Goldman, J. D. G. (1988). The prevalence and nature of child sexual abuse in Australia. Australian Journal of Sex, Marriage, and the Family, 9, 94-106.
52.
Hansen, D. J., Hecht, D. B.,& Futa, K. T. (1998). Child sexual abuse. InV. B. Van Hasselt& M. Hersen (Eds.), Handbook of psychological treatment protocols for children and adolescents(pp. 153-178). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum.
53.
Harter, S., Alexander, P. C.,& Neimeyer, R. A. (1988). Long-term effects of incestuous child abuse in college women: Social adjustment, social cognition, and family characteristics. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 5-8.
54.
Haugaard, J. J., & Emery, R. E. (1989). Methodological issues in child sexual abuse research. Child Abuse & Neglect, 13, 89-100.
55.
Haugaard, J. J.,& Reppucci, N. D. (1988). The sexual abuse of children. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
56.
Holmes, G. R., Offen, L., & Waller, G. (1997). See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil: Why do relatively few male victims of childhood sexual abuse receive help for abuse-related issues in adulthood. Clinical Psychology Review, 17, 69-88.
57.
Hosmer, D. W., & Lemeshow, S. (1988). Applied logistic regression. New York: Wiley.
58.
Ingram, M. (1981). Participating victims: Astudy of sexual offenses with boys. In L. L. Constantine& F. M. Martinson (Eds.), Children and sex(pp. 177-187). Boston: Little, Brown.
59.
Kendall-Tackett, K. A., Williams, L. M.,& Finkelhor, D. (1993). Impact of sexual abuse on children: A review and synthesis of recent empirical studies. Psychological Bulletin, 113, 164-180.
60.
Kinzl, J. F., Mangweth, B., Traweger, C., & Biebl, W. (1996). Sexual dysfunction in males: Significance of adverse childhood experiences. Child Abuse & Neglect, 20, 759-766.
61.
Landry, M., Nadeau, L.,& Racine, S. (1996). Prévalence des troubles de la personnalité dans la population toxicomane du Québec. [Prevalence of personality disorders in a sample of drug abusers in Quebec]. Unpublished manuscript.
62.
Lane, D. J. (1998). Cognitive and clinical implications of sexual victimization on boys. Dissertation Abstracts International, 59, 3064-3064.
63.
Langevin, R., Wright, P.,& Handy, L. (1989). Characteristics of sex offenders who were sexually victimized as children. Annals of Sex Research, 2, 227-253.
64.
Laumann, E. O., Gagnon, J. H., Michael, R. T.,& Michaels, S. (1994). The social organization of sexuality. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
65.
Lenderking, W. R., Wold, C., Mayer, K. H., Goldstein, R., Losina, E., & Seage, G. R. (1997). Childhood sexual abuse among homosexual men: Prevalence and association with unsafe sex. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 12, 250-253.
66.
Levang, C. A. (1989). Interactional communication patterns in father/daughter incest families. Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality, 1, 53-68.
67.
Liem, J. H.,& Boudewyn, A. C. (1999). Contextualizing the effects of childhood sexual abuse on adult self- and social functioning: An attachment theory perspective. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 1141-1157.
68.
Lisak, D. (1994). The psychological impact of sexual abuse: Content analysis of interviews with male survivors. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 7, 525-548.
69.
Lodico, M. A., Gruber, E., & DiClemente, R. J. (1996). Childhood sexual abuse and coercive sex among school-based adolescents in a Midwestern state. Journal of Adolescent Health, 18, 211-217.
70.
MacMillan, H. L., Fleming, J. E., Trocme, N., Boyle, M. H., Wong, M., Racine, Y. A., et al. (1997). Prevalence of child physical and sexual abuse in the community. Results from the Ontario Health Supplement. Journal of the American Medical Association, 278,131-135.
71.
Main, M.,& Goldwyn, R. (1984). Predicting rejection of her infant from mother's representation of her own experience: Implications for the abused-abusing intergenerational cycle. Child Abuse & Neglect, 8, 203-217.
72.
McClellan, J., McCurry, C., & Ronnei, M. (1997). Relationship between sexual abuse, gender, and sexually inappropriate behaviors in seriously mentally ill youths. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36, 959-965.
73.
McCormack, A., Rokous, F. E., Hazelwood, R. R., & Burgess, A. W. (1992). An exploration of incest in the childhood development of serial rapists. Journal of Family Violence, 7, 219-228.
74.
Mendel, M. P. (1995). The male survivor: The impact of sexual abuse. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Moisan, P. A., Sanders-Phillips, K., & Moisan, P. M. (1997). Ethnic differences in circumstances of abuse and symptoms of depression and anger among sexually abused black and Latino boys. Child Abuse & Neglect, 21, 473-488.
77.
Morton, N., & Browne, K. D. (1998). Theory and observation of attachment and its relation to child maltreatment—A review. Child Abuse & Neglect, 22, 1093-1104.
78.
Murphy, W. D. (1990). Assessment and modification of cognitive distortions in sex offenders. InW. L. Marshall, D. R. Law, & H. E. Barbaree (Eds.), Handbook of sexual assault: Issues, theories, and treatment of the offender(pp. 331-342). New York: Plenum.
79.
Nagy, S., Adcock, A. G., & Nagy, M. C. (1994). A comparison of risky health behaviors of sexually active, sexually abused, and abstaining adolescents. Pediatrics, 93, 570-575.
80.
Nelson, J. A. (1986). Incest: Self-report findings from a nonclinical sample. The Journal of Sex Research, 22, 463-477.
81.
Newberger, C. M.,& DeVos, E. (1988). Abuse and victimization: A life-span developmental perspective. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 58, 505-511.
82.
Okami, P. (1991). Self-reports of “positive” childhood and adolescent sexual contacts with older persons: An exploratory study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 20, 437-457.
83.
O'Neill, M. R. (1990). Puerto Rican and New England college students' reports of childhood sexual abuse and sexual experience. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Massachusetts). Dissertation Abstracts International, 52, 9,208, 876.
84.
Peluso, E., & Putnam, N. (1996). Case study: Sexual abuse of boys by females. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 35, 51-54.
85.
Pierce, R., & Pierce, L. H. (1985). The sexually abused child: A comparison of male and female victims. Child Abuse & Neglect, 9, 191-199.
86.
Predieri, K. A. (1991). Long-term effects of male child sexual abuse. Dissertation Abstracts International, 53, 571-571.
87.
Resnick, M. D.,& Blum, R. W. (1994). The association of consensual sexual intercourse during childhood with adolescent health risk and behaviors. Pediatrics, 94, 907-913.
88.
Rind, B., & Bauserman, R. (1993). Biased terminology effects and biased information processing in research on adult-nonadult sexual interactions: An empirical investigation. The Journal of Sex Research, 30, 260-269.
89.
Risin, L. I.,& Koss, M. P. (1987). The sexual abuse of boys: Prevalence and descriptive characteristics of childhood victimizations. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2, 309-323.
90.
Rose, S. M. (1991). Acknowledging abuse backgrounds of intensive case management clients. Community Mental Health Journal, 27, 255-263.
91.
Sandfort, T. G. (1984). Sex in pedophiliac relationships: An empirical investigation among a nonrepresentative group of boys. The Journal of Sex Research, 20, 123-142.
92.
Sandfort, T. G. M. (1992). The argument for adult-child sexual contact: A critical appraisal and new data. In W. O'Donohue, & J. H. Geer (Eds.), The sexual abuse of children. Vol. 1: Theory and research(pp. 38-48). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
93.
Sarbo, A. (1984). Childhood molestation: Adult personality correlates and predictors of trauma. (Doctoral dissertation, Georgia State University). Dissertation Abstracts International, 45, (3960B), 8,503,803.
94.
Sauzier, M. (1989). Disclosure of child sexual abuse: For better or for worse. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 12, 455-469.
95.
Scharfe, E.,& Bartholomew, K. (1994). Reliability and stability of adult attachment patterns. Personal Relationship, 1, 23-43.
96.
Stein, H., Jacobs, N. J., Ferguson, K. S., Allen, J. G., & Fonagy, P. (1998). What do adult attachment scales measure?Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 62, 33-82.
97.
Sutherland, D., Konopasky, R. J., & McGrath, M. (1999, September). Sexual offenders claim little harm as victims or perpetrators: Some victims agree. Poster session presented at the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers 18th Annual Research and Treatment Conference in Orlando, Florida.
98.
Thomas, M. C., Nelson, C. S.,& Sumners, C. M. (1994). From victims to victors: Group process as the path to recovery for males molested as children. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 19, 102-111.
99.
Tindall, R. H. (1978). The male adolescent involved with a pederast becomes an adult. Journal of Homosexuality, 3, 373-382.
100.
Urquiza, A. J. (1988). The effects of childhood sexual abuse in an adult male population. (Doctoral dissertation, University of Washington). Dissertation Abstracts International, 50, (356B), 8,906,961.
101.
Urquiza, A. J., & Capra, M. (1990). The impact of sexual abuse: Initial and long-term effects. In M. Hunter (Ed.), The sexually abused male: Prevalence, impact and treatment, Vol. 1(pp. 105-135). Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
102.
Van Gijseghem, H. (1998). Le passage à l'acte incestueux et ses conséquences. [The incestuousactingout and its consequences]. In F. Millaud (Ed.), Le passage à l'acte[The acting-out](pp. 149-162). Paris: Massay.
103.
Violato, C., & Genuis, M. (1993). Problems of research in male child sexual abuse: A review. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 2(3), 33-54.
104.
Waters, E., Treboux, D., Crowell, J., Merrick, S.,& Albersheim, L. (1995). From the strange situation to the adult attachment interview: A 20-year longitudinal study of attachment security in infancy and early adulthood. Unpublished manuscript, State University of New York at Stony Brook.
105.
Watkins, B., & Bentovim, A. (1992). The sexual abuse of male children and adolescents: A review of current research. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Allied Disciplines, 33, 197-248.
106.
West, D. J., & De Villiers, B. (1993). Male prostitution. New York: Haworth.
107.
Widom, C. S. (1996). Crime and childhood sexual abuse. Society, 33, 47-53.
108.
Windle, M., Windle, R. C., Scheidt, D. M.,& Miller, G. B. (1995). Physical and sexual abuse and associated mental disorders among alcoholic inpatients. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152, 1322-1328.
109.
Wyatt, G. E., & Peters, S. D. (1986). Methodological considerations in research on the prevalence of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 10, 241-251.
110.
Zeanah, C. H., & Zeanah, P. D. (1989). Intergenerational transmission of maltreatment: Insights from attachment theory and research. Psychiatry, 52, 177-196.
