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Download or read book An Empirically Derived Typology of Families of Adolescent Male Sex Offenders written by Nancy Anne Falls and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The purpose of this study was to develop a typology of family environments of adolescent male sex offenders. Closed clinical records of 80 adolescents male sex offenders, aged 12-19, and their families admitted for assessment and or treatment at a community based program were reviewed for this investigation. Data were collected related to five identified family variables: family structure, family dynamics, sexual environment, family violence and antisociality. Families were rated on each of these variables using a 5 point Likert scale, from highly stable or problem free to highly unstable or problematic. A trained second rater reviewed 25% of the files and good inter rater reliability was established, Cohen's 'K' > .60 for all family variables (Cicchetti & Sparrow, 1881). A cluster analysis revealed five distinct family groups: Extremely Problem, Structurally Unstable, Multi Problem, Health, and Problematic Parenting, Extremely Problematic families were characterized by a severe disruption on all family variables; particularly, sexual environment, family violence, and antisociality. Structurally Unstable families were distinguishable by problematic family structures, with offenders experiencing many residential moves, major separations from parents, or involvement by child protection services. Multi Problem families noted disruptions on all family variables but not as severe as Extremely Problematic families. Families in the Healthy group did not indicate problems relaxed to any of the family variables under investigation. Problematic Parenting families were characterized by poor parenting skills including inconsistency in parenting, lack of supervision, parentification, and negative communication styles within the family. Variables not used in the formation of the family groups were used to validate and add support to the cluster solution. Specific offense and offender characteristics varied across the family groups. The distinctive family groups in this current investigation confirm the heterogeneity of families of adolescent male sex offenders. Not all adolescent male sex offenders come from dysfunctional family systems and the nature of the dysfunction varies across the family groups. Understanding the specific dysfunction within the family may provide a targeted direction for the family component of an overall treatment program for adolescent male sex offenders.