Adolescent male sexual offenders' perceptions of their family characteristics

Literature on families of adolescent sexual offenders is sparse. Adolescents' perception of family structure, family adaptability and cohesion, parent-child communication, and family communication about sexuality are considered in an effort to identify family characteristics that distinguish families of adolescent sex offenders (n=39) from violent juvenile delinquents (n=25), non-violent juvenile delinquents (n=41), and from non-problem families (normative data). Families of sex offenders are characterized by greater family cohesion, poorer communication with fathers than with mothers, a higher value on family sex communication, and a change in living arrangement when compared to other delinquents' families. Several variables differentiate between families of delinquents in this study and non-problem families. In general, there are some differences between families of adolescent sex offenders and other delinquents, but more dramatic differences emerge between non-problem families and all delinquent samples. Implications for practice are offered.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Family and Child Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Family and Child Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1991

Author dc:creator

• Bischof, Gary Paul

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Stith, Sandra M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Wilson, Stephan M.
• Little, Linda F.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-08182009-040313

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/44269