The Relationships among Emotional Abuse, Parent and Caregiver Instability, and Disrupted Attachment on Juvenile Sex Offending Status

Authors

  • Marc V. Felizzi Millersville University, Millersville, PA 17551, USA

Keywords:

Emotional abuse, Parent instability, Disrupted attachment, Juvenile sex offenders

Abstract

The treatment needs of youth who are convicted of sex offenses and the needs of their families, have received little attention in research literature. This study examined the impact of several issues, such as family instability, emotional abuse and parental attachment, on juvenile sex offending status, with a research population of over 500 juvenile sex offenders. The impact of emotional abuse was determined to be significantly correlated with juvenile sex offending status, as was the impact of several variables of parent and caregiver instability. Parental attachment was not found to be a significantly correlated variable to juvenile sex offending status. Implications for social work practice, as well as research and treatment, are included.

Author Biography

  • Marc V. Felizzi, Millersville University, Millersville, PA 17551, USA

    Dr. Marc Felizzi has spent the last 20 years working with and researching children, adolescents, and their
    families. He has examined the effects of family violence, juvenile violence, and the consequences of family
    instability on youth. Dr. Felizzi has written extensively on these topics, and his findings and opinions have
    appeared in local and national publications, and he has been interviewed on a number of national radio
    and television regarding juvenile violence. Dr. Felizzi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social
    Work at Millersville University, where he teaches Social Work Research and Practice. In addition, he has a
    thriving clinical practice in Wilmington, Delaware where he works with children, adolescents, and their
    families.

Downloads

Published

2015-09-14

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2014)

Section

Articles