Keith W. Beard

Father-daughter incest: data from an anonymous computerized survey.

Retrospective data were entered anonymously by 1,521 adult women using computer-assisted self-interview. Nineteen were classified as victims of father–daughter incest, and 241 were classified as victims of sexual abuse by an adult other than their father before reaching 18 years of age. The remaining 1,261 served as controls. Incest victims were more likely than controls to endorse feeling damaged, psychologically injured, estranged from one or both parents, and shamed by others when they tried to open up about their experience. They had been eroticized early on by the incest experience, and it interfered with their adult sexuality. Incest victims experienced coitus earlier than controls and after reaching age 18 had more sex partners and were more likely to have casual sex outside their primary relationship and engage in sex for money than controls. They also had worse scores on scales measuring depression, sexual satisfaction, and communication about sex than controls.

Sister-brother Incest: Data from Anonymous Computer Assisted Self Interviews

Retrospective data were entered anonymously by 1,178 adult men using computer-assisted self-interview. Twenty-seven were victims of sister-brother incest (SBI), 119 were victims of child sexual abuse by an adult female (CSA-AF) before 18 years of age, 1,032 were controls. SBI was often the first sexual experience for the victim. Our findings were consistent with other reports of early and persistent hyper-eroticization of incest victims. SBI increased the likelihood of engaging in behaviors as an adult consistent with a co-existing or primary male-male sexual orientation, and SBI and CSA-AF had deleterious impacts on adult mens sexual adjustment with their adult partners.

Brother–Sister Incest: Data from Anonymous Computer-Assisted Self Interviews

Retrospective data were entered anonymously by 1,521 adult women using computer-assisted self interview. Forty were classified as victims of brother–sister incest, 19 were classified as victims of father–daughter incest, and 232 were classified as victims of sexual abuse by an adult other than their father before reaching 18 years of age. The other 1,230 served as controls. The victims of brother–sister incest had significantly more problematic outcomes than controls on many measures (e.g., more likely than the controls to endorse feeling like damaged goods, thinking that they had suffered psychological injury, and having undergone psychological treatment for childhood sexual abuse). However, victims of brother–sister incest also had significantly less problematic outcomes than victims of father–daughter incest on some measures (e.g., significantly less likely than the father–daughter incest victims to endorse feeling like damaged goods, thinking that they had suffered psychological injury, and having undergone psychological treatment for childhood sexual abuse).

Human Sexual Development is Subject to Critical Period Learning: Implications for Sexual Addiction, Sexual Therapy, and for Child Rearing

A novel orientation-neutral Hypersexuality and Risky Sexual Behaviors Scale provided evidence consistent with the idea that both sexual addiction and a low interest in sex as an adult have their origins during childhood and adolescence. Adult interest in sex and the likelihood of engaging in risky sexual behaviors tended to be increased if participants first experiences with masturbation and partner sex had occurred early in life. Conversely, adult interest in sex tended to be lowest when neither masturbation nor sex with a partner had occurred prior to 18 years of age. Both findings were consistent with critical period learning.

Correlates of Inserted Object-Assisted Sexual Behaviors in Men: A Model for Development of Paraphilic and Non-Paraphilic Urges

In a study designed to investigate the role of conditioning starting before age 18 on adult sexual behavior and urges, retrospective data were provided by 841 men using an anonymous computerized survey. Participants were recruited from populations including college students, 12-step meetings, and the general population in the mid-Atlantic United States. Using objects inserted into their rectums or urethras during masturbation before age 18 increased by 15.5 fold and 11.4 fold, respectively, the likelihood that they would use objects similarly after age 18. Using an inserted object during masturbation also increased the likelihood of experiencing urges to use objects in relation to the individuals own genitals and/or anus. And, using an inserted object during masturbation increased the likelihood of experiencing urges to use objects in relation to the partners genitals and/or anus.

Human Sexual Development is Subject to Critical-Period Learning: Paradigm-Shifting Implications for Sexual Therapy and for Child-Rearing

ABSTRACT. Objectives: Our study was designed to study the origins of the variation in sexual interest in normal adult human beings. Methods: Retrospective data were entered anonymously by 2,201 female participants and 1,242 male participants using computer-assisted self-interview. Results: In both sexes, participants who began sexual behaviors before age 13 had the highest interest in sex as adults as measured by frequencies of masturbation and partner sex. Our findings were consistent with learning to function sexually being subject to critical-period learning. Conclusions: Critical-period learning provided a theoretical basis for understanding variation in interest in sex among adult individuals of both sexes. These results have implications for understanding the origins of hypoactive sexual desire, and they also have implications for child-rearing practices.

Brother-brother Incest: Data from an Anonymous Computerized Survey

Retrospective data were entered anonymously by 1,178 adult men using computer-assisted self-interview. Twenty-five were victims of brother-brother incest (BBI), 26 were victims of child sexual abuse by an adult male (CSA-AM) before 18 years of age, 1,127 were controls. BBI was often the first sexual experience for the victim. Our findings were consistent with other reports of early and persistent hyper-eroticization of incest victims. BBI and CSA-AM increased the likelihood of engaging in behaviors as an adult consistent with a co-existing or primary male-male sexual orientation, and both had deleterious impacts on adult mens sexual adjustment with their adult partners.

Sister-sister incest: data from an anonymous computerized survey

Retrospective data were entered anonymously by 1,521 adult women using a computer-assisted self-interview. Thirty-one participants were victims of sister–sister incest, 40 were victims of brother–sister incest, 19 were victims of father–daughter incest, 8 were victims of sexual abuse by an adult female (including one mother), and 232 were victims of sexual abuse by an adult male other than their father before reaching 18 years of age. The rest (1,203) served as controls. The victims of sister–sister incest had significantly more problematic outcomes than controls on many measures as adults. Victims of sister–sister incest were more depressed and more likely than controls to be distant from the perpetrator-sister and to have traded sex for money, experienced an unplanned pregnancy, engaged in four different types of masturbation, and engaged in 13 different same-sex behaviors. Our findings were consistent with other reports of early eroticization and persistent hypereroticization of incest victims.

Correlates of Exhibition-like Experiences in Childhood and Adolescence: A Model for Development of Exhibitionism in Heterosexual Males

We identified risk factors before age 18 for exhibitionism and urges to engage in exhibitionism. Sharing a tub bath with a female and allowing a female partner to look at his genitals appeared to serve the function of conditioning experiences that were both pleasurable and sexually arousing. Being allowed to be nude in mothers presence indicated mothers approval for engaging in the exhibitionism. The findings were consistent with a conditioning model in which exhibition-like experiences can initiate a vicious cycle that can result in a sexual addiction with powerful urges to engage in exhibitionism that are triggered by dysphoric feelings.

Risk factors for father-daughter incest: data from an anonymous computerized survey.

Retrospective data from 2,034 female participants, provided anonymously using a computer-assisted self-interview, were used to identify risk factors for father–daughter incest (FDI). A total of 51 participants had reported having experienced FDI. The risk factors identified within the nuclear family by the multiple logistic regression analysis included the following: (a) Having parents whose relationship included verbal or physical fighting or brutality increased the likelihood of FDI by approximately 5 times; (b) families accepting father–daughter nudity as measured by a scale with values ranging from 0 to 4 increased the likelihood of FDI by approximately 2 times for each unit value increase of 1 above 0; (c) demonstrating maternal affection protected against FDI. The likelihood of being a victim of FDI was highest if the participant’s mother never kissed or hugged her; it decreased by 0.44 for a 1-unit increase in affection and by 0.19 times for a 2-unit increase; and (d) being in homes headed by single-parent mothers or where divorce or death of the father had resulted in a man other than the biological father living in the home increased the risk of FDI by approximately 3.2 times. The results were consistent with the idea that FDI in many families was the cumulative result of a circular pattern of interactions, a finding that has implications for treatment of the perpetrator, the victim, and the families. The data also suggested it may be possible to design an information program for parents that will result in reducing the risk of FDI in families implementing the program’s recommendations.