Assessing and Treating Emerging Adults Who Have Sexually Abused: Navigating the Boundary Between Adolescence and Adulthood
Despite decades of progress in evaluating and treating both adults and adolescents who have sexually abused, working with “emerging adults” can often be less clear. These clients are typically young men between the ages of 18 and 25—in some cases, it includes individuals in their late twenties—who are developmentally between adolescence and adulthood. They often do not “quite fit” into either category. This lack of fit is especially apparent in their living situation or placement logistics and the assessment tools and treatment modalities commonly used with this population. In many cases, clients who are now considered by the courts to be legally adults were adolescents when their abusive actions took place.
Dr. Waltrip and Dr. Leslie are both experts in evaluation and treatment, with experience across diverse practice settings in the United States. In this training, they focus on how professionals can best understand, assess, and treat emerging adults. This includes the similarities and differences they share with justice-involved adolescents and adults.