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Sexual Dysfunction in Males: Significance of Adverse Childhood Experiences

NCJ Number
165005
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 20 Issue: 8 Dated: (August 1996) Pages: 759-766
Author(s)
J F Kinzl; B Mangweth; C Traweger; W Biebl
Date Published
1996
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This paper examines the impact of childhood sexual victimization, physical abuse, and dysfunctional family background on sexual dysfunctions in adulthood in a nonclinical male student sample.
Abstract
Male students attending the University of Innsbruck, a large public institution, were asked to complete several questionnaires in 1994. Questionnaires were distributed to 450 white male undergraduates; 301 were returned. To test the difference between more than two groups within ordinal data, the Kruskal-Wallis test was computed. A history of sexual abuse was disclosed by 29 (9.6 percent) men, and 12 (4 percent) reported severe childhood sexual abuse. Median age at the onset of abuse was 12 years. Of the 12 men who suffered severe sexual assault, three reported perpetration by a member of the immediate family, three said the perpetrator was a member of the extended family, two indicated it was an acquaintance, and four said it was a stranger. With one exception (mother), all perpetrators were male. The findings show that an adverse family background characterized by emotional neglect and physical violence apparently increases the predisposition to develop sexual dysfunction; additional childhood sexual abuse experiences did not increase the risk of developing sexual dysfunction in adulthood in this nonclinical male student sample. The authors agree with many other researchers who conclude that a multivariate approach that takes into account the level of functioning of the family as well as other variables related to the situational aspects of the events provides the best information on the psychological impact of sexual abuse on children. 2 tables and 35 references