Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Andrea Goldstein

Abstract

Sexual abuse and victimization can have long-term negative ramifications on victims, their families, and the community. Juveniles account for a notable portion of persons who engage in sexual offending behaviors; therefore, knowing more about the pathway that leads to juvenile sexual offending is beneficial in preventing sexual abuse and promoting community safety. Social cognitive theory was applied to the pathway of juvenile sexual offending behaviors to develop insight into how this behavior may be learned and to inform the selection of variables for this research. The key research question explored how traits of family dysfunction moderated the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and juvenile sexual offending behaviors. After initial analysis to evaluate the connection between history of sexual abuse and juvenile sexual offending behavior, variables of family dysfunction were added to see whether they strengthen this relationship. Due to differences in pathways between male and female juvenile sexual offending behaviors, data for males and females were analyzed separately. Using archival data from a southern state’s department of juvenile justice, data were organized into two groups of 600 males and 600 females, each containing 300 juveniles with a sexual offense and 300 without. Results from the analysis indicated a statistically significant relationship between sexual abuse and sexual offending in both male and female groups, but family dysfunction was not found to have a moderating effect for either group. Although no moderation effect was indicated, elements of this study may contribute to future research in the field. Findings may be used by psychologists to better serve their clients, thereby contributing to positive social change.

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