title: Gender Differences in Psychosocial Predictors of Attitudes Toward Reporting Child Sexual Abuse in the United Kingdom.
abstract: There is a dearth of research investigating psychosocial correlates of attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse in males and females and a lack of such studies drawing on participants from the United Kingdom. Therefore, the main objective of this article is to examine gender differences in social and psychological predictors of attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse. Participants drawn from the United Kingdom general population were recruited via an opportunistic sampling method. Cross-sectional design using a self-report questionnaire was utilized. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that social support, masculinity, and age form significant associations with attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse in females (total variance explained by the model was 25%). In the male sample, the only significant predictor of attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse was interpersonal manipulation (total variance explained by the model was 9%). This study provides an important insight into psychosocial barriers and facilitators to reporting child sexual abuse. Such knowledge is crucial for the early detection and prevention of abuse.
authors.affiliation: a Psychology Department , University of Chester , Chester , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Humphries
authors.affiliation: a Psychology Department , University of Chester , Chester , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debowska
authors.affiliation: b Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences , University of Huddersfield , Huddersfield , United Kingdom.|c Psychology Department , University of Social Sciences and Humanities , Katowice , Poland.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boduszek
authors.affiliation: a Psychology Department , University of Chester , Chester , United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michelle L A
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Mattison
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D030881:Disclosure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D057228:Masculinity; D008875:Middle Aged; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D006113:United Kingdom; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse; gender differences; interpersonal manipulation; masculinity; social support