Title: Clinical Report—The Evaluation of Sexual Behaviors in Children | American Academy of Pediatrics
Headings: Clinical Report—The Evaluation of Sexual Behaviors in Children
A statement of reaffirmation for this policy was published at
Clinical Report—The Evaluation of Sexual Behaviors in Children
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
DIFFERENTIATING NORMAL SEXUAL BEHAVIORS FROM SEXUAL BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS
Types of Sexual Behaviors
Age
FACTORS THAT AFFECT FREQUENCY AND TYPES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIORS
Situational Factors
Environments in Which Sexuality Is More Open
Family Dysfunction and Stress
Children With Developmental Disabilities
Abuse and Neglect
Comorbid Diagnoses
CLINICAL ASSESSMENT AND TREATMENT
PARENTAL GUIDANCE
CONCLUSIONS
COMMITTEE ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT, 2008–2009
LIAISONS
STAFF
Footnotes
REFERENCES
In this issue
View this article with LENS
Jump to section
Subjects

Content: Children with sexual behavior problems are more likely than children with normal sexual behaviors to have additional internalizing symptoms of depression, anxiety, withdrawal, and externalizing symptoms of aggression, delinquency, and hyperactivity. 9 This association suggests that some sexual behaviors occur within a continuum of behavioral problems with multifactorial causes. Another group of children may engage in a greater variety and frequency of sexual behaviors that may be disruptive to others but not necessarily abusive. These behaviors are often noted after a shift in caregiving environments; examples include children placed in foster homes and children who attend child care. Among children who are not suspected victims of abuse, more time spent in child care correlates positively with the number and frequency of observed sexual behaviors. 9 Child care provides more opportunities for children to interact and explore each other in both sexual and nonsexual ways. Age
The variety and frequency of sexual behaviors increases in young children up to 5 years of age and then decreases gradually thereafter. 9 In 1 normative study of 1114 children aged 2 to 12 years, a greater variety and frequency of sexual behaviors were reported by parents of boys and girls aged 2 to 5 years when compared with parents of children aged 6 to 9 and 10