Child Sexual Behavior Inventory: A Comparison Between Latino and Normative Samples of Preschoolers

Abstract

There is a relative dearth of research examining normative sexual behavior in Latino preschool children, despite an increased presence of Latinos as a minority population in the United States. To meet this need, a sample of Latino mothers were asked to complete the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI; Friedrich et al., 1992) on their preschool-aged children (3 to 5 years old; n = 188). When their children's scores were compared to CSBI normative data, significant differences emerged. Compared to the normative sample, Latino boys and girls scored significantly higher on the sexual abuse specific items subscale, and Latino girls scored significantly higher on the developmentally related sexual behavior subscale. Possible cultural explanations for these elevations are explored.

Acknowledgments

This research was supported, in part, by grants from the Children's Trust of Miami (Grant Nos. 601-174, 701-174). Special thanks to Paulette Johnson, Florida International Universtiy, for assistance in the statistical analyses.

Notes

^a Sexual abuse specific items (SASI) subscale for males.

^b Developmentally related sexual behavior (DRSB) subscale for males.

^c SASI for females.

^d DRSB for females.

^a Total for the raw score of the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI) can range from 0 to 114 for both boys and girls.

^b Total for the developmentally related sexual behavior (DRSB) subscale raw score can range from 0 to 15 for boys and 0 to 6 for girls.

^c Total for the raw score of the sexual abuse specific items (SASI) subscale can range from 0 to 69 for boys and 0 to 66 for girls.

*p < .001.