Social Skills and Behavioral Problems in Adolescents with Child Sexual Abuse, and Their Relation to Basal Cortisol

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a stressful associated with alterations in the hypothalamic-hypophyseal-adrenal (HPA) axis and behavioral problems. Children and adolescents with history of CSA could have higher cortisol levels, as these have been associated with deleterious changes in brain regions involved in controlling social behavior and self-control. The aim of the present study was to determine the relationship among basal cortisol levels, social skills and behavioral problems in adolescents with CSA by evaluating two groups: one consisting of 12 - 15-year-old girls with CSA (n = 23), the other healthy comparison adolescents with no history of child abuse (n = 23). Social skills and behavioral problems were assessed using the Social Skills Improvement System. Three saliva samples were collected from each participant. The girls with CSA had lower social skills and more behavioral problems, as well as, higher cortisol concentrations. Besides, these participants showed significant negative correlations among cortisol levels and social skills, as well as, positive correlations with behavioral problems scales. It is feasible to suggest that the social deficiencies observed in these participants with CSA are related to alterations of the HPA.

Demographic characteristics of convicted child sexual abusers in South of Sweden,between 2013 and 2018:a pilot study

This study evaluates variables concerning demographic characteristics for all adult male offenders convicted of Child Sexual Abuse(CSA)aged 0–17 in Malmö,Sweden between 2013 and 2018.All convictions(n=18)based on court documents from the District Court,the Court of Appeals and information from the Swedish Tax Agency were reviewed.A total of 30 victims were identified.Frequency analyses show that the most common features were that of a single offender,averaging 25 years old,with a non-Swedish background and a high school degree.The predominately extrafamilial CSA(i.e.committed by an acquaintance to the family)occurred in a private setting and consisted of penetrative acts.Girls averaging 13years old were abused multiple times,under fear and pressure.Although assumptions based on these results are preliminary,they provide a clearer image of the typical circumstances under which CSA occurred within this time frame and geographical location.This study is a first attempt to construct an overview of demographic characteristics of CSA.As more data are gathered from this region,more sophisticated analyses can be conducted,providing stronger generalizations.Information of this kind may be important for research,classification of offender profiling and in case linking.

EEG Correlations during a Working Memory Task with Emotional Stimuli in Girls with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Secondary to Sexual Abuse

Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) can develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), alterations in the prefrontal cortex, changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) activity, and lower performance on working memory tasks. The aim of this study was to characterize brain electrical correlations in girls with PTSD secondary to CSA during a working memory task based on recognizing emotional facial stimuli. Girls aged 8 - 16 years old were evaluated: 12 with PTSD secondary to CSA, and 12 healthy girls with no history of abuse. EEG activity during a working memory task with emotional stimuli was recorded, and the inter- and intra-hemispheric correlations that assessed the functional connectivity among different cortical regions were analyzed. The PTSD group showed lower performance than controls on the working memory task while watching happy faces, while the EEG of this group showed greater intrahemispheric correlation among frontal areas and between frontal and posterior cortical regions. Also, the PTSD group had lower interhemispheric correlations between posterior temporal areas. The higher intrahemispheric correlation in the PTSD group could indicate that those girls used more brain areas when performing the task, likely because it required greater effort. The lower inter-posterior temporal correlation could be attributed to a reduction of the corpus callosum.