Dr James Ogilvie1, Dr John Rynne1, Dr Lisa Thomsen1, Dr Danielle Harris1, Dr Yolonda Adams1, Dr Timea Molnar-Grant1
1Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
Biography:
Dr Ogilvie is a psychologist and lecturer in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University. His current research is focused on examining the intersection of mental illness and offending using population-level linked administrative datasets from criminal justice and health agencies. His broader research interests are on the causes of youth offending and the development, implementation and evaluation of interventions to reduce reoffending.
Experiences of adversity and psychosocial health problems are known to exist within populations of young males who engage in harmful sexual behaviours (HSBs). Less is understood regarding the ways in which developmental risk factors cluster together and/or differ within this heterogenous population. This research uses latent class analysis to examine developmental risks across multiple domains in a population of 386 male youths adjudicated for sexual harm. Findings suggest four typological classes (High Adversity; Antisocial; Limited Adversity; Socially Excluded). Characteristics of sexually harmful behaviours, including victim age and gender, are demonstrated to differ across these classes. Our findings, which suggest differential pathways to HSB during adolescence, have relevance for informing prevention and intervention efforts, to ensure responses are tailored to the varying needs of young people.