Skip to main content
Log in

Evidence-Informed, Individual Treatment of a Child with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Case Study

  • Clinical Case Report Series
  • Published:
Archives of Sexual Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Children with sexual behavior problems pose a significant challenge for community-based mental health clinicians. Very few clinical trials are available to guide intervention and those interventions that are available are based in a group format. The current case study demonstrates the application of evidence-informed treatment techniques during the individual treatment of a 10-year-old boy displaying interpersonal sexual behavior problems. Specifically, the clinician adapts and implements a group-based model developed and tested by Bonner et al. (1999) for use with an individual child and his caregivers. Key points of the case study are discussed within the context of implementing evidence-informed treatments for children with sexual behavior problems.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allen, B., Thorn, B. L., & Gully, K. J. (in press). A comparison of self-reported emotional and trauma-related concerns among sexually abused children with and without sexual behavior problems. Child Maltreatment.

  • Bonner, B. L., Walker, C. E., & Berliner, L. (1999). Children with sexual behavior problems: Assessment and treatment-final report (Grant No. 90-CA-1469). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and neglect.

    Google Scholar 

  • Briere, J. (1996). Trauma symptom checklist for children: Professional manual. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carpentier, M. Y., Silovsky, J. F., & Chaffin, M. (2006). Randomized trial of treatment for children with sexual behavior problems: Ten-year follow-up. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 74, 482–488.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chaffin, M., Berliner, L., Block, R., Johnson, T. C., Friedrich, W. N., Louis, D. G., … Silovsky, J. F. (2008). Report of the ATSA Task Force on Children with Sexual Behavior Problems. Child Maltreatment, 13, 199–218.

  • Chorpita, B. F., & Daleiden, E. L. (2009). Mapping evidence-based treatments for children and adolescents: Application of the distillation and matching model to 615 treatments from 322 randomized trials. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77, 566–579.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. A., Deblinger, E., Mannarino, A. P., & Steer, R. A. (2004). A multisite, randomized controlled trial for children with sexual abuse-related PTSD symptoms. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43, 393–402.

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. A., Mannarino, A. P., & Deblinger, E. (2006). Treating trauma and traumatic grief in children and adolescents. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deblinger, E., Stauffer, L. B., & Steer, R. A. (2001). Comparative efficacies of supportive and cognitive-behavioral group therapies for young children who have been sexually abused and their nonoffending mothers. Child Maltreatment, 6, 332–343.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Elkovitch, N., Latzman, R. D., Hansen, D. J., & Flood, M. F. (2009). Understanding child sexual behavior problems: A developmental psychopathology framework. Clinical Psychology Review, 29, 586–598.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eyberg, S. M., Nelson, M. M., & Boggs, S. R. (2008). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with disruptive behavior. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 37, 215–237.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, W. N. (1997). Child sexual behavior inventory: Professional manual. Lutz, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedrich, W. N. (2007). Children with sexual behavior problems: Family-based attachment- focused therapy. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, T. C. (2010). Understanding children’s sexual behaviors: What’s natural and healthy. San Diego, CA: Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lévesque, M., Bigras, M., & Pauzé, R. (2012). Persistence of problematic sexual behaviors in children. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 41, 239–245.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Reynolds, C. R., & Kamphaus, R. W. (2004). Behavior assessment system for children (2nd ed.). Circle Pines, MN: AGS Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saltz, G. (2005). Amazing you: Getting smart about your private parts. New York: Puffin Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Silovsky, J. F., & Niec, L. (2002). Characteristics of young children with sexual behavior problems: A pilot study. Child Maltreatment, 7, 187–197.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Silovsky, J. F., Niec, L., Bard, D., & Hecht, D. B. (2007). Treatment for preschool children with interpersonal sexual behavior problems: A pilot study. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, 36, 378–391.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • St. Amand, A., Bard, D. E., & Silovsky, J. F. (2008). Meta-analysis of treatment for child sexual behavior problems: Practice elements and outcomes. Child Maltreatment, 13, 145–166.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, R., & Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J. (2007). Behavioral outcomes of parent-child interaction therapy and triple p-positive parenting program: a review and meta-analysis. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 35, 475–495.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Brian Allen.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Allen, B., Berliner, L. Evidence-Informed, Individual Treatment of a Child with Sexual Behavior Problems: A Case Study. Arch Sex Behav 44, 2323–2331 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0460-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0460-6

Keywords

Navigation