Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2025
08:53
Integrating Computerized Linguistic and Social Network Analyses to Capture Addiction Recovery Capital in an Online Community
Published on: May 31, 2019
5.1K
Understanding and Deterring Online Child Grooming: A Qualitative Study
Sarah Wefers1, Therese Dieseth1,2, Emily George1
1The Lucy Faithfull Foundation, Epsom, United Kingdom.
Sexual Offending (Trier, Germany)
|January 31, 2025
Summary
Online child grooming is increasing. This study explored motivations and pathways of offenders, identifying risk factors and proposing prevention strategies to protect children.
Area of Science:
- Criminology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Online child sexual grooming offenses are rising globally.
- Child sexual grooming involves sexual communication with minors, posing significant risks.
- Understanding offender motivations is crucial for effective prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the motivations and pathways of individuals engaging in online child grooming.
- To identify risk and protective factors associated with online grooming behavior.
- To propose effective prevention and intervention strategies for online child sexual grooming.
Main Methods:
- The study employed thematic analysis of interviews with 14 male participants who had engaged in online child grooming.
- Five key themes emerged: Social aspects, Mental health and psychological aspects, Justification for offending, Secrecy, and Technology.
- Hypotheses regarding three pathways into online grooming behavior were developed.
Main Results:
- Five themes revealed risk and protective factors related to online grooming behavior.
- Identified pathways include social connection, addictive behavior, and fantasy/roleplay.
- A complex relationship between online grooming and other child sexual abuse offenses, such as image sharing, was highlighted.
Conclusions:
- Effective prevention requires education, awareness, and support for at-risk individuals.
- Situational prevention approaches, including online platform monitoring and warning messages, are recommended.
- Addressing the multifaceted nature of online grooming necessitates a comprehensive societal response.
Related Concept Videos
02:04Bullying
8.3K
A modern form of aggression is bullying. As you learn in your study of child development, socializing and playing with other children is beneficial for children’s psychological development. However, as you may have experienced as a child, not all play behavior has positive outcomes. Some children are aggressive and want to play roughly. Other children are selfish and do not want to share toys. One form of negative social interactions among children that has become a national concern is...
8.3K
01:14Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development
583
The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
583
01:28Conduct Disorder
25
Conduct disorder is a complex mental health diagnosis characterized by a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior that violates societal norms, the rights of others, or age-appropriate rules. The diagnostic criteria for conduct disorder require the presence of at least three problematic behaviors within the past 12 months, with at least one occurring in the past six months. These behaviors are grouped into four categories: aggression toward people and animals; destruction of property;...
25
02:55Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination
89.9K
Humans are very diverse and although we share many similarities, we also have many differences. The social groups we belong to help form our identities (Tajfel, 1974). These differences may be difficult for some people to reconcile, which may lead to prejudice toward people who are different. Prejudice is a negative attitude and feeling toward an individual based solely on one’s membership in a particular social group (Allport, 1954; Brown, 2010). Prejudice is common against people who...
89.9K
01:26Modeling in Therapy
43
Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
43
01:01Group Polarization
34.1K
Group polarization is the strengthening of an original group attitude following the discussion of views within a group (Teger & Pruitt, 1967). That is, if a group initially favors a viewpoint, after discussion the group consensus is likely a stronger endorsement of the viewpoint. Conversely, if the group was initially opposed to a viewpoint, group discussion would likely lead to stronger opposition.
34.1K