The role of neglect and disordered attachment in the childhood of adolescent male sex offenders : a project based upon an independent investigation

Author

Melissa Ann. Tell, Smith College

Publication Date

2010

Document Type

Masters Thesis

Department

School for Social Work

Keywords

Teenage sex offenders-Mental health, Child abuse-Psychological aspects, Attachment disorder in adolescence, Sex offender, Neglect, Adolescent attachment, Emotional neglect

Abstract

Sexual abuse by adolescent males continues to be a serious problem that receives little recognition and attention in research. While a majority of sexual offenses are committed by adults, roughly 20% are committed by adolescents (Barbaree, 2006). Over 45% of adolescent males in residential treatment begin sexually deviant behaviors before the age of 12 (Burton, 2000). Similarly, while maltreatment and attachment is mentioned in research on adolescent sexual offenders, few researchers have studied the role of emotional and physical neglect on the lives of adolescent sexual offenders. In this sample physical abuse and poverty were both significant predicting the number of victims that adolescent sex offenders perpetrated against, while poor attachment with a caregiver and the experience of emotional neglect were not.

Language

English

Comments

27 p. Thesis (M.S.W.)-Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, Mass., 2010. Includes bibliographical references (p. 24-27)

Recommended Citation

Tell, Melissa Ann., "The role of neglect and disordered attachment in the childhood of adolescent male sex offenders : a project based upon an independent investigation" (2010). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/504