In this episode of One in Ten, host Teresa Huizar welcomes Dr. Brian Allen, professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Penn State, to discuss what motivates problematic sexual behavior (PSB) in children and youth and what the research shows. Allen explains his path into the field and why he conducted a meta-analysis—combining results across studies to create a much larger dataset (about 9,000 children) and examine the strength of associations across age, gender, and different risk factors.
Time Stamps
Time Topic
00:00 What Drives Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB) in Kids? (Episode Intro)
01:15 Meet Dr. Brian Allen + How He Got Into PSB Research
02:54 Meta-Analysis 101: What It Is and Why It Matters for PSB
05:26 Beyond the Assumption: Is PSB Always Linked to Sexual Abuse?
07:24 Who’s Affected? Gender & Age Patterns in the Data
08:41 Age Matters: Developmental Motivations, Curiosity & Online Exposure
14:01 Why Parents Struggle to Talk About Sex, Boundaries & Prevention
16:44 What the Meta-Analysis Found: PSB’s Link to Sexual Abuse (and How to Ask)
19:00 Physical Abuse, Dysregulation & Coercion: A Surprising Strong Correlate
25:35 Screening & Mental Health: Externalizing vs Internalizing Problems
29:01 Big Research Gaps: Cross-Cultural Data, Developmental Pathways & Social Media
32:12 What’s Next: New Assessment Tool, Longitudinal Studies & Treatment Trials
33:38 Key Takeaways for Clinicians: Treatable, Low Risk, Don’t Go Punitive
36:22 Reframing These Kids + Resources, Training, and Closing
39:10 Final Thanks & Where to Learn More
Resources
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