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Child Maltreatment
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Sexual Anxiety and Eroticism Predict the Development of Sexual Problems in Youth With a History of Sexual Abuse

Valerie A. Simon

Wayne State University

Candice Feiring

The College of New Jersey, feiring{at}tcnj.edu

Youth with confirmed histories of sexual abuse (N = 118) were followed longitudinally to examine associations between their initial sexual reactions to abuse and subsequent sexual functioning. Participants were interviewed at abuse discovery (ages 8 through 15) and again 1 and 6 years later. Eroticism and sexual anxiety emerged as distinct indices of abuse-specific sexual reactions and predicted subsequent sexual functioning. Eroticism was associated with indicators of heightened sexuality, including more sexual risk behavior and views of sexual intimacy focused on partners' needs. Sexual anxiety was associated with indicators of diminished sexuality, including few sexual partners and avoidant views of sexual intimacy. Age at abuse discovery moderated some associations, suggesting that the timing of abuse-specific reactions affects trajectories of sexual development. Findings point to the need for a developmental approach to understanding how abuse-specific sexual reactions disrupt sexual development and the need for early interventions promoting healthy sexual development.

Key Words: sexual abuse • sexual risk taking • sexual development • eroticism • adolescence

Child Maltreatment, Vol. 13, No. 2, 167-181 (2008)
DOI: 10.1177/1077559508315602
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Home page
 Child MaltreatHome page
J. F. Silovsky and E. J. Letourneau
Introduction to Special Issue on Children With Sexual Behavior Problems: Dedicated to William F. Friedrich, PhD
Child Maltreat, May 1, 2008; 13(2): 107 - 109.
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