Childhood abuse and multiple addictions: research findings in a sample of self-identified sexual addicts
Abstract
Awareness of multiple addictions has increased in recent years. However, studies designed to investigate key factors in the multiply addicted individual are scarce in the literature. This study uses a national sample of sexual addicts (n = 290) to examine the relationship between the frequency of childhood abuse and the number of reported addictions in adulthood. The study employed correlations and a multiple regression to examine this relationship and its application to predictability. Low to moderate correlations were found to exist between the frequency of the three basic forms of abuse (sexual, physical, emotional) and the number of reported addictions in adulthood. In addition, the regression was also found to be statistically significant; however, the multicollinearity of the three types of abuse was a confounding factor in this study. Implications for all results and future studies are discussed.
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There are pointers to a correlation between severity of childhood abuse (particularly sexual abuse) and the number of addictive activities (including problematic sexuality) when adult.
“There are pointers to a correlation between severity of childhood abuse (particularly sexual abuse) and the number of addictive activities (including problematic sexuality) when adult (Carnes and Delmonico, 1996;Cf. Långström and Hanson, 2006).”
From A motivation model of sex addiction – Relevance to the controversy over the concept (2022) · cites this paper as Carnes and Delmonico, 1996
The chances of showing any of a number of addictive activities in adults, including drug use, sex and problematic eating are increased with childhood abuse.
“The chances of showing any of a number of addictive activities in adults, including drug use, sex and problematic eating are increased with childhood abuse (Carnes and Delmonico, 1996;Smith et al., 2014;Timms and Connors, 1992).”
From A motivation model of sex addiction – Relevance to the controversy over the concept (2022) · cites this paper as Carnes and Delmonico, 1996
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“There are pointers to a correlation between severity of childhood abuse (particularly sexual abuse) and the number of addictive activities (including problematic sexuality) when adult (Carnes and Delmonico, 1996; Cf. Långstr ¨ om and Hanson, 2006).”
BackgroundSeyed Aghamiri, F., Luetz, J. M., & Hills, K. (2025) · Sexuality Research and Social Policy · doi:10.1007/s13178-024-01043-x · Cited by 3 · see citing works
“…alleviate or numb childhood trauma, which in turn may be linked to adverse experiences in early life, such as sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse, attachment problems, neglect and other traumatic events (Carries & Delmonico, 1996; Gilliland et al., 2015; Kafka, 2010; Slavin et al., 2020a).”
- Authors
- Carries, P. J., & Delmonico, D. L.
- ORCID
- Delmonico, David L.
- Venue
- Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1996-07
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 258-268
- ISSN
- 1072-0162 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-5318
- OpenAlex
- W2067344608
- Cited by
- 65
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 5 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 1.61
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity The Journal of Treatment and Prevention (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Keywords
- childhood abuse, sexual addiction, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, comorbidities, predictors of addiction, multicollinearity
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