When we talk about the development of sexual behaviors in children we may face difficulties in defining and identifying appropriate versus inappropriate sexual behaviors at different stages of development, both in public opinion and in studies and research.

The simple identification and inventory of sexual behaviors at different age stages may increase difficulties already existent if we take into account cultural differences, sub-cultural differences, family differences, the influence of various factors on children’s sexual behaviors and knowledge of children and so on.

To overcome these difficulties a number of alternative models have been proposed to assess children’s sexual behavior and in this present article we will refer to three of them: the ATSA model, Johnson’s model and Hackett’s Continuum.

The ATSA model (The Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers Task Force) distinguishes between normal and problematic sexual behaviors in children. Normal sexual behavior is defined as: “that behavior that occurs spontaneously, intermittently is reciprocal and non-coercive” (2006, p.3)

Normal sexual behaviors during childhood are considered, among others: self-stimulation, interest in sexuality, exhibitionism, voyeurism and sexual play.

When talking about teenagers, the appropriate sexual behaviors are considered to be the following: cuddling, kissing, sexually explicit conversations with peers, flirting, dating, foreplay, mutual masturbation, consensual mutual intercourse, interest for erotic movies and literature. Placing a sexual behavior into one category or another is done taking into account the age at which it occurs and its normativity according to the expectation of children’s behavior at different development periods.

Also ATSA defines sexually problematic behavior as: “those behaviors whose mode of expression transgresses social norms, being manifested as a result of a lot of causes or motivations: sexual gratification, self-soothing or attention-seeking” (2006, p.3)

Another model used in the identification and differentiation between normal and problematic sexual behavior is the one proposed by Johnson called “Johnson’s Model” (1993). The author proposes a continuum of the manifestation of sexual behavior in children, a continuum divided into four sections: Normal Sexual Exploration, Sexual Reactivity, Extended Reciprocal Sexual Behavior and Children who Molest. The four categories of behaviors are distributed along a continuum as they evolve from normal, natural and developmentally appropriate behaviors to adult sexual behavior and, in the last stage, sexual abuse of other children.

Also, Chaffin, Letorneau and Silvosky (2002) identify four criteria in evaluating a behavior as abnormal or not:

• Is more frequent than would be expected for the age of child;
• affects the child’s normal development and rate of development;
• occurs through the use of intimidation, force of coercion;
• is associated with emotional distress;
• the behavior occurs between children with marked differences in age and mental development;
• despite of repetitive intervention by caregivers, it continues to occur in secret;

Hackett (2020) created one continuum model of children’s sexual behavior, continuum that evolves from normal sexual behaviors to highly abnormal or deviant sexual behavior.

Normal

• falls within expected behaviors for the age of the child;
• socially acceptable;
• consensual, mutual and reciprocal;
• is based on the decision of all persons involved in the behavior.

Inappropriate

• sexual behaviors were manifested in singular situations/times;
• socially accepted behaviors in the co-group;
• the context in which the behaviors occur may be inappropriate;
• in general, behaviors are consensual and mutual.

Problematic

• behaviors are problematic and worrisome;
• developmentally, the behaviors are unusual and socially unexpected;
• no direct, visible elements of victimization;
• aspects of consent may be unclear;
• there may be a lack of reciprocity and equality of power;
• behaviors may appear compulsive to varying degrees.

Abusive

• Intent to victimize occurs or the result of the behavior is victimizing;
• involves abuse of power;
• uses coercion and force to secure the victim’s submission;
• behaviors are intrusive;
• informed consent is absent or cannot be freely and deliberately given by the victim;
• the behaviors may include elements of impulsive aggression, not aimed at achieving a specific goal; violent expression appears to be an end in itself.

Violent

• physically violent sexual abuse;
• highly intrusive;
• the violence is arousal for the abuser;
• existence of sadism

Bibliography:

1. Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (2006), Report of the Task Force on Children with Sexual Behavior Problems;
2. Hackett-Continuum-of-Harmful-Behavior-Excerpted.pdf – adresa web chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.icmec.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/
3. Johnson, T. C. (1993). Sexual behaviors: A continuum. În E. Gil & T. C. Johnson (Eds.), Sexualized children :Assessment and treatment of sexualized children and children who molest(pp. 41-52). Rockville, MD.: Launch Press.

Article by Patricia Aramă, clinician psychologist