Paradigm Shift: Implementing MEGA, a New Tool Proposed to Define and Assess Sexually Abusive Dynamics in Youth Ages 19 and Under

ABSTRACT

Previous definitions of sexually abusive behavior in children and adolescents were deficient in failing to (1) highlight salient neuropsychological elements and antisocial behaviors that may contribute to a youth's functioning; (2) discriminate among possible types of coercion (e.g., manipulation, threats, physical force, and use of weapons); and (3) include predatory elements of sexual abuse against strangers or casual acquaintances. This article discusses a new comprehensive assessment tool that assists in defining sexually abusive youth. This tool, the Multiplex Empirically Guided Inventory of Ecological Aggregates for Assessing Sexually Abusive Children and Adolescents (Ages 19 and under) (MEGA; Miccio-Fonseca, 2006b), encompasses neuropsychological elements, coercive aspects, and predatory elements as essential factors to consider in comprehensive assessments of sexually abusive youth.

KEYWORDS:

• Sexual behavior problems
• adolescent sex offender
• neuropsychological
• sexually abusive behavior in children and adolescents
• predatory
• empirically guided assessment
• risk assessment
• typology