HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter View responses Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Vizard, E. Articles by McCrory, E. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Vizard, E. Articles by McCrory, E.

Developmental trajectories associated with juvenile sexually abusive behaviour and emerging severe personality disorder in childhood: 3 – year study

National Child Assessment and Treatment Service - Sexually Harmful Behaviour (previously The Young Abusers Project), London, UK

Correspondence: Dr Eileen Vizard, Alexandra Ciardi House, 7-8 Greenland Place, London NW1 0AP, UK. Email: e.vizard{at}ucl.ac.uk

Declaration of interest None.

Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background Little is known about the developmental trajectories of juveniles presenting with sexually abusive behaviour or emerging severe personality disorder traits.

Aims To investigate whether `age at onset' of sexually abusive behaviour and whether emerging severe personality disorder traits are associated with specific developmental profiles.

Method A retrospective file review of 280 juveniles presenting with sexually abusive behaviour was conducted and follow-up Offenders Index data were analysed.

Results Juveniles with early onset (<11 years) of sexually abusive behaviour had higher levels of psychosocial adversity and early childhood antisocial behaviour compared withthose with late onset. Emerging severe personality disorder traits were associated with higher levels of psychosocial adversity, antisocial behaviour, convictions and predatory sexually abusive behaviour.

Conclusions Preliminary evidence supports the existence of distinct developmental trajectories within this population and points to a key role for traits of emerging severe personality disorder.

eLetters: