The influence of personality and history of sexual victimization in the prediction of juvenile perpetrated child molestation

Structural equation modeling was used to delineate the relationship between sexual victimization and personality variables in the prediction of patter ns of child molestation in adolescent males. Two hundred thirty-five adoles cents, representing subsamples of sexually victimized and nonvictimized, pe rpetrating and nonperpetrating, and emotionally maladjusted and nonmaladjus ted youths, participated in the study. Juvenile child molesters were found to have more pessimistic explanatory styles and deficits in self-sufficienc y relative to nonoffending youths. A younger age at time of victimization, a greater number of incidents, a longer period of waiting to report the abu se, and a lower level of perceived family support postrevelation of the abu se were found to be predictive of subsequent sexual perpetration. Implicati ons for treatment are discussed.