Theoretical Perspectives of Male Sexual Abuse: Conceptualization of a Case Study

• NCJ Number: 239062
• Journal: Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 21 Issue: 2 Dated: March - April 2012 Pages: 131-154
• Author(s): Terry Diamanduros; Clare E. Cosentino; P. Dawn Tysinger; Jeffrey A. Tysinger
• Date Published: April 2012
• Length: 24 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This article examines the traumatic impact that sexual abuse can have on a young male's development.

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to demonstrate the traumatic impact that sexual abuse can have on a young male's development by addressing mediating dispositions that can render a child vulnerable to the effects of sexual abuse. Consideration is given to three different theoretical perspectives that are not exclusive to male victims but shed light on the impact that sexual abuse can have on the development of a young boy. These perspectives include early family relationships and attachment theory, developmental psychopathology, and trauma theory. These theoretical lenses provide a conceptual understanding into why some victims are vulnerable to the effects of sexual abuse. Each theoretical view is applied to a case study of an adolescent male with a history of early trauma and sexual abuse. Clinical implications are discussed. (Published Abstract)