Addressing Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSBs) in Children & Adolescents
This training was originally presented on
September 6, 2022
*Training certificates are only available following live trainings or completion of self-paced courses. A certificate will not be provided for review of these materials.
When a child or adolescent sexually acts out it can be a scary experience for not just a parent, but also for the provider working with the family. This talk will first correct common myths and misconceptions of children who sexually act out (e.g., the supermajority of these children are highly responsive to treatment and are NOT pedophiles). The second aspect of this talk will be a walk through the evidence for how to treat these children and the likelihood of success (e.g., with appropriate, evidence-based practices children 3 to 18 who engage in these behaviors are up to 95% successful in treatment and do not sexually reoffend). Evidence for effective approaches and concrete examples and tips for working with these children and their families will be the main focus of this talk.
At the end of the presentation, the learner should know:
- Basic information on how child/adolescent PSB’s are qualitatively different than pedophilia
- A conceptual understanding of what components to use (and not use)
- Application of specific evidence-based practices to address PSB’s in children and adolescents
Who should attend: All staff of family resource center (FRCs), child abuse prevention councils (CAPCs), and other child- and family-serving organizations.
TRAINING MATERIALS & RESOURCES:
- Recording
- Presentation Deck (3 slides/page)
- Presentation Deck (1 slide/page)
- Our Minds are Made Up Don’t Confuse Us With the Facts: Commentary on Policies Concerning Children with Sexual Behavior Problems and Juvenile Sexual Offenders (Mark Chaffin, Child Maltreatment, 2008) (13 pages)
- Implementing Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) With Preteen Children Displaying Problematic Sexual Behavior (Brian Allen, Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 2018) (10 pages)
- Trauma-Focused CBT for Youth with Complex Trauma (Judith Cohen, et. al., Child Abuse & Neglect, 2012)
- The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)
- The National Center for the Sexual Behavior of Youth
- Taking Action: Support for Families of Children with Sexual Behavior Problems (Free PDF Download)
- Taking Action: Support for Families of Adolescents with Illegal Sexual Behavior (Free PDF Download)
MEET THE SPEAKER
Dr. Michael Gomez is Clinical Instructor at Bradley Hospital, Lifespan Institute, a teaching hospital for the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University. He was previously director of the Adversity and Resilience Community Center (ARCC), a child trauma behavioral health clinic in Texas where he was also Adjunct Professor at Texas Tech University Psychological Sciences; the Texas Tech University College of Education; and the TTUHSC School of Nursing. He was previously faculty at the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect/Child Study Center Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the Oklahoma University Health and Sciences Center.
Dr. Gomez specializes in Trauma-Focused CBT, treatment of adolescents with problematic sexual behaviors (PSB), PCIT, TARGET, and assessment of autism spectrum disorders. He is a Nationally Certified TF-CBT Trainers and a Nationally Certified CE-CERT Trainer, a model for addressing burnout and vicarious trauma in providers. He is a co-chair for the National Child Traumatic Stress Network’s (NCTSN) Trauma and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) Workgroup.
