NCJ Number
181226
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: 2000 Pages: 3-15
Date Published
2000
Length
13 pages
Annotation
The relationships between childhood attachment and coercive sexual behavior were studied using data from self-report instruments completed by 162 male undergraduate students attending a medium-sized university in Brisbane, Australia.
Abstract
The instrument included measures of childhood maternal attachment, childhood paternal attachment, adult attachment, antisociality, aggression, and coercive sexual behavior. The participants had an average age of 23 years and ranged in age from 17 to 54 years. As predicted, insecure childhood attachment, especially insecure paternal attachment, was associated with antisociality, aggression, and coercive sexual behavior. In addition, childhood attachment independently predicted coercive sexual behavior after antisociality and aggression were statistically controlled. The results supported the hypothesis that paternal avoidant attachment would predict coercive sexual behavior independently of its relationship with aggression and antisociality. Moreover, posthoc analysis indicated that maternal anxious attachment was associated with antisociality and that paternal avoidant attachment was associated with both antisociality and coercive sexual behavior. Results were consistent with criminological and psychological research linking adverse early family experiences with offending. Findings also lend support to an attachment-theoretical framework for understanding offending behavior in general and sexual offending behavior in particular. Tables and 39 references (Author abstract modified)