Children and adolescents may exhibit problematic sexual behaviors. When such manifests, it is important to remember that it is not a sexual problem but a behavior issue. Here to unpack the nitty-gritty of problematic sexual behavior (PSB) in children and adolescents is Dr. Michael Gomez.
Dr. Michael Gomez is an Assistant Professor at the Center for Superheroes at Texas Tech University Health – Department of Pediatrics and an Adjunct Professor at Texas Tech university Psychological Sciences. He espouses evidence-based practices in psychology and specializes in Trauma-Focused CBT treatment of adolescents with PSB. He is also a nationally certified TF-CBT and CE-CERT Trainer.
Specifics he discussed in this webinar include:
- A brief discussion on a study that revealed how coercion predicts sexual acting out in children.
- Debunking common myths relating to children, sexual abuse, and sexual behavior.
- Understanding that PSBs must be addressed from a behavioral standpoint.
- Resources to help guide those working with children and adolescents that demonstrate PSBs.
- The value of having children and adolescents with PSB issues screened for trauma and coercive history.
- The Survival Analysis Study which looked at children and adolescents who are involved in PSB and how different approaches and treatments impacted their likelihood of reoffending and delinquency.
- The different approaches and treatments available for those that demonstrate PSB and the general recommendation on what level of care must be provided to them.
- The meta-analysis conducted on different PSB treatment models that revealed the approach that works best for these issues.
- A case example that illustrated why adult intervention and treatment for PSB Is not suitable for children and adolescents.
- A rundown of the continuum of interventions available in-home or through the system for the child/adolescent and the parents/caregivers based on the seriousness of the PSB.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): The standard, accessible and effective approach to treating PSB in a clinical setting and its components.
- The issue that lies in the misinformation of children and the parents’ reluctance to discuss topics surrounding sex.
- Tips on how parents can integrate sex talk with their kids across their lifespan.
- Treading the intersection between trauma symptoms and PSB.
- The scope and elements of the psychoeducation portion of CBT for PSB based on the age, gender, and sexual orientation of the child or adolescent.
- The behavior management plan and safety plan components.
- The critical role of parents and caregivers in educating and supervising the child or adolescent.
- Parenting and Affect in PSB which looks into the common feelings, reactions, and considerations of parents or caregivers who discover PSB in their children or adolescent.
- The concept of the cognitive triangle which shows the thinking process of the children and teenagers as they commit PSB.
- The effective PSB treatment.
- Its goal to sensitize and have children/adolescents recognize how their actions were wrong and hurt others.
- How is this different from adult pedophile treatments that aim to desensitize.
- Why trauma therapy must first occur before the offender treatment to produce desired results.
- A study that exhibited the dangers of doing the offender treatment first.
Questions raised by the webinar participants are about:
- Workaround when outpatient services aren’t available at the moment.
- Workshops for school staff that cover critical points of the webinar topic in the school setting.
- Classifying youth that exhibit PSB as high risk.
- Use of polygraph in treatment models.
- Resources to support and guide courts in deciding the type of punitive measures for youth that committed PSBs.
- Getting parents on board with the treatment plan, particularly the education and supervision part.
Other Webinars with this Speaker
- March 30: Addressing Problematic Sexual Behaviors in Children and Adolescents (this webinar)
- June 15: Beyond Self-Care: The CE-CERT Model for Secondary Trauma and Burnout
Resources and Handouts
- Handout: Article – Implementing Trauma-Focused CBT with Pre-Teen Children Displaying Problematic Sexual Behavior
- Handout: Our Minds are Made up. Don’t Confuse Us with Facts: Commentary on Policies Concerning Children with PSB Problems and Juvenile Sex Offenders
- Resource: National Center for the Sexual Behavior of Youth
- Resource: National Child Traumatic Stress Network
- Resource (free e-book): Taking Action: Support for Families of Children with Sexual Behavior Problems
- Resource (free e-book): Taking Action: Support for Families of Adolescents with Illegal Sexual Behaviors
Audience Comments
- “This webinar was one of your best. I would very much like more webinars on this topic.” — David
- “I really appreciated how Dr. Gomez highlighted that youth displaying PSB’s have behavioral problems, not sexual behavior problems. Would love to see more trainings on this topic!” — Jamie
- “The framing of sexual BEHAVIOR problems as opposed to SEXUAL behavior problems was a good way to conceptualize the work and the emphasis on parental involvement/investment/partnership was a big deal. I am also always interested in learning how the practice of this work is carried out in other areas and in ongoing research.” — Chuck
- “I enjoyed Dr. Gomez’s demeanor and the discussion/examples around basic explanations talks with different aged children.” — Amy
- “This was a fantastic webinar. The speaker was great and the topic was nicely explained. Thank you!” — Sana
- “Thanks for bringing humor to a difficult topic, it makes the information easier to process.” — Amanda
- “I really loved the statistic that only 40% of CPBs are occurring in victims. The emphasis shift from calling it a SEXUAL behavior problem to sexual BEHAVIOR problem was an invaluable insight not just for my position as a detective, but as a mom of kids from 0 to 12! Dr. Gomez was a great presenter with an engaging style and a sense of humor. If he could have heard all the times he made me laugh out loud. Trainings like these stick in my mind.” — Amity
- “Trauma treatment BEFORE treatment to address the PSB. I was really impressed with Dr. Gomez. He is so knowledgeable and I always appreciate examples from the field. I appreciated his sense of humor. I registered for his June 15th training. Thanks so much!!” — Shannon
- “I am a retired Parole Officer and had a caseload of sex offenders. I believe this is important information which would be beneficial in the Juvenile Justice System, as well as the Adult Sex Offenders that were sentenced as juveniles. There is a lot of work to be done or undone!” — Zenaida
- “Everything was so interesting and delivered in a very open, honest, and even funny way. It was the best online training I’ve been on in a while!” — Nisha
- “All of it was phenomenal! I am a Foster Care Director and we encounter many children with PSB that foster homes are afraid of. This will help me better equip my staff to assist the foster parents and the children.” — Melissa
