The Association between Maladaptive Coping and Treatment Motivation in Individuals who are Sexually Attracted to Children Living in the Community
Sarah Moss, Skye Stephens, Ian V. McPhail
Abstract
There is a need for community treatment programs for people who are sexually attracted to children, but individuals report difficulty accessing services. Individuals who are sexually attracted to children (n = 293) completed an online anonymous survey that revealed a significant positive association between maladaptive coping and two factors of the treatment motivation measure. The association between maladaptive coping and treatment motivation was attenuated at higher levels of ego dystonic distress/aversion. Results highlight the importance of targeting stigma toward those who are sexually attracted to children to increase treatment seeking behavior.
Topics & Concepts
PsychologyCoping (psychology)Association (psychology)Clinical psychologyDistressSexually activeDevelopmental psychologyMedicinePsychotherapistPopulationEnvironmental healthAdolescent Sexual and Reproductive HealthSexuality, Behavior, and TechnologyHIV/AIDS Research and Interventions