Skip to main content
Log in

Clinical assessment of mother-son sexual abuse

  • Articles
  • Published:
Clinical Social Work Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper explores the possibility that cases of mother-son incest are underreported in the literature on child sexual abuse. Clinical cases of mother-son incest are presented and factors which may account for an underreporting of such cases are discussed. A cultural bias viewing mothers as asexual and males as sexual aggressors is suggested as the primary reason that cases of maternal sexual abuse are rarely identified or reported. Guidelines are provided for clinical assessment of possible cases of mother-son sexual abuse.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Banning, A. (1989). Mother-son incest: Confronting a prejudice.Child Abuse & Neglect, 13(4), 563–570.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benedek, T. (1959). Parenthood as a developmental phase: A contribution to the libido theory.Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 7(3), 389–417.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolton, F., Morris, L., & MacEachron, A. (1989).Males at Risk, Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Catanzarite, V.A., & Combs, S.E. (1980). Mother-son incest.Journal of the American Medical Association, 243, 1807–1808.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chasnoff, I., Burns, W., Schnoll, S., Burns, K., Chisum, G., & Kyle-Spore, L. (1986). Maternal-neonatal incest.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 54(4), 577–580.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chodorow, N. (1978).The Reproduction of mothering. Berkeley & Los Angeles: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chodorow, N. (1989).Feminism & psychoanalytic theory, New Haven & London: Yale University Press. Condy, S., Templer, D., Brown, R., & Veaco, L. (1987). Parameters of sexual contact of boys with women.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 16(5), 379–394.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinnerstein, D. (1976).The Mermaid & the minotaur: Sexual arrangements and human malaise. New York: Harper & Row.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ellerstein, N., & Canavan, J. (1980). Sexual abuse of boys.American Journal of Diseases in Children, 134, 255–257.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, S. (1988). A family systems approach to treatment. In L. Walker (Ed.),Handbook on sexual abuse of children, 326–349, New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fritz, G., Stoll, K., & Wagner, N. (1981). A comparison of males & females who were sexually molested as children.Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 7, 54–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Groth, A.N. (1979).Men who rape: The psychology of the offender. New York: Plenum Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Krug, R.S. (1989). Adult male report of childhood sexual abuse by mothers: Case descriptions, motivations & long-term consequences.Child Abuse & Neglect, 13, 111–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewis, R., & Janda, L. (1988). The relationship between adult sexual adjustment and childhood experiences regarding exposure to nudity, sleeping in the parental bed, and parental attitudes toward sexuality.Archives of Sexual Behavior, 17(4), 349–362.

    Google Scholar 

  • Margolin, L. (1987). The effects of mother-son incest.Lifestyles, 8(2), 104–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarty, L.M. (1986). Mother-child incest: Characteristics of the offender.Child Welfare, 65, 447–458.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newton, N. (1973). Interrelationships between sexual responsiveness, birth & breastfeeding. In: J. Zubin & J. Money (Eds.),Contemporary sexual behavior: Critical issues in the 1970's, 77–98, Baltimore & London: Johns Hopkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rossi, A.S. (1973). Maternalism, sexuality and the new feminism. In J. Zubin & J. Money (Eds.),Contemporary sexual behavior: Critical issues in the 1970's, 145–173, Baltimore & London: Johns Hopkins.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rothstein, A. (1979). Oedipal conflicts in narcissistic personality disorders.International Journal of Psychoanalysis.60, 189–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Russell, D.E.H. (1986).The secret trauma: Incest in the lives of girls & women. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trepper, T.S., & Barrett, M.J. (1989).Systemic treatment of incest, a therapeutic handbook. New York: Brunner/Mazel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wahl, C. (1960). The psychodynamics of consummated maternal incest.Archives of General Psychiatry, 3, 188–193.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whiting, J., Kluckhohn, R., & Anthony, A. (1958). The function of male initiation rites at puberty. In: E. Maccoby, T. Newcomb, & E. Hartley (Eds.),Readings in social psychology, 359–70, New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

    Google Scholar 

  • Whiting, J.W. (1967). Sorcery, sin & the superego: A cross-cultural study of some mechanisms of social control. In C.S. Ford (Ed.),Cross-cultural approaches: Readings in comparative research, 147–168, New Haven: Hraf Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zavodnick, J.M. (1989). Detection & managementof sexual abuse of boys.Medical Aspects of Human Sexuality, Jan., 80–90.

  • Zigler, E., & Hall, N. (1989). Physical child abuse in America: Past, present & future. In D. Cicchetti & V. Carlson (Eds.),Child maltreatment: Theory & research on the causes and consequences of child abuse and neglect, 38–75, New York: Cambridge.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lawson, C. Clinical assessment of mother-son sexual abuse. Clin Soc Work J 19, 391–403 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00757441

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00757441

Keywords

Navigation