(WITHDRAWN) Cumulative Traumatic Events As Distinguishable Risks for Youth Sexual Violence: Trauma Symptomatology and Mitigating Effects of Positive Caregiving Styles

There are strong theoretical (Grady et al., 2016; Widom, 1989) and empirical links (Barrett et al., 2014; Godinet et al., 2014) between early experiences of victimization and youth violence, including those who commit sexual crimes who also have high rates of cumulative trauma (Anda et al., 2010; Kenny & Wurtele, 2012; Levenson et al., 2017). While there is evidence noting the relationship between childhood trauma experiences and caregiver relational problems among youth who commit sexual crimes, in particular (Grady et al., 2018; Grady et al., 2016), little is known about how caregiver protective factors may mitigate trauma experiences, and in turn alter trajectories for youth who experience trauma. Specifically, few studies have examined positive caregiver styles (PCS’s), and how they may mitigate the effects of cumulative trauma events on trauma symptomatology. This study aimed to 1) determine relative rates of subtypes of trauma experiences, cumulative trauma experiences, trauma symptomatology, and PCSs between youth who commit sexual and non-sexual crimes and 2) examine how PCSs mitigate relations between cumulative traumatic experiences and trauma symptomatology differentially between youth who commit sexual and non-sexual crimes.

This study used a multi-state study of juvenile justice system involved youth (N = 336) who committed sexual (n = 112) or non-sexual crimes (n = 224). Youth were given validated measurement tools; including the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein et al., 1994), Domestic Trauma Experiences (DTE; Burton et al., 2011), the Parental Caregiving Styles Questionnaire (PSCQ; Hazan & Shaver, 1986, 1987), and the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSCC; Briere, 1996). The items from the CTQ and DTE were dichotomized and summed to create a total count of subtypes of abuse domains (physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect and indirect forms of domestic trauma). The TSCC and PSCQ scores were averaged to create a composite score. Independent t-tests were run between youth who commit sexual and non-sexual crimes on all measures and results revealed, unsurprisingly, youth who commit sexual crimes had statistically significantly higher rates of physical, sexual, emotional abuse subtypes. Youth who committed sexual crimes also had higher cumulative trauma scores and higher mean scores of trauma symptomatology. There were no differences between groups on maternal and paternal positive caregiving styles (PCS). Stepwise regressions with maternal and paternal PCS entered in the second block revealed that maternal benevolence mitigated the effects of cumulative trauma events on trauma symptoms only for youth who commit sexual crimes; there were no maternal or paternal PCS mitigating effects for youth who commit non-sexual crimes.

The findings of this study have many important implications for direct practice with youth who commit sexual crimes. Sexual violence prevention must focus on primary and secondary prevention strategies address building healthy families and communities by alleviating stressors associated with trauma, such as poverty, discrimination, substance use, as well as food and housing insecurity (Grady et al., 2016). Prevention should also include attachment-based and relational treatments aimed at enhancing relationships and increasing caregiving attunement, relational patterns, and interaction styles to build protective capacities in caregiving practices.