Childhood Sexual Experiences with Adults: Adult Male Psychiatric Patients and General Practice Attenders

Sexual abuse of male children is now believed to be common, and there may be links to adult psychiatric disorders. Recollections of sexual experiences with adults in childhood were studied systematically in 115 men attending general practice surgeries and 100 male psychiatric patients. The latter reported more frequent and more serious events before the age of 13 than the general practice attenders. No significant difference was detected for events between the ages of 13 and 15. Childhood sexual abuse before the age of 13 may be associated with later psychiatric disorders, although the nature of the association remains uncertain. The possible significance of such experiences should be considered when assessing men with mental disorders.