Clinical Assessment of Children and Youth with Problematic Sexual Behavior

Course 1 overviews the clinical assessment process when a child or youth has engaged in problematic sexual behavior (PSB).

NOTE: Please complete each course in the PSB-CY course series, as the series material was created to be completed fully and sequentially.

• Qualifications and guiding principles for providers
• Assessment goals and procedures
• Youth engagement and interview strategies

• Clinical interview and assessment topics
• Assessment measures
• Analysis of assessment information

Clinical assessment of children and adolescents generally refers to the collection and analysis of broad information, using a variety of methods, for the purpose of identifying areas of strengths, vulnerabilities, clinical problems, and intervention needs for the youth and family.

PSB-CY clinical assessments should be holistic and ecologically informed. This means these assessments cannot and should not examine the youth’s PSB in isolation. Instead, assessments should consider the whole youth and the context of vulnerabilities, risks, and protective factors at multiple interacting system levels within which the youth exists (for example, family, peers, schools).

Following this course, the learner will be able to:

1. Recognize guiding principles for clinical assessments of PSB-CY.
2. Identify considerations when preparing for clinical assessments.
3. Identify research-informed topics relevant to clinical assessments.
4. Be aware of youth engagement and interview strategies.
5. Increase awareness of the utility of standardized assessment measures.
6. Describe the process of analysis of the assessment findings for conclusions and recommendations.

These courses are sequential and developed to be experienced in order. Each course will take the average learner at least 90 minutes to complete. Please plan to complete each of the four courses listed on the PSB-CY Courses homepage.

Julia Grimm, LISW-CP

Julia Grimm is an independent trainer and consultant with the National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY) on the topic of Problematic Sexual Behavior – Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (PSB-CBT) for school-aged children and adolescents.

Sue Righthand, Ph.D.

Dr. Righthand is a psychologist in independent practice. She is a consultant to the National Center on the Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY) and provides training, program evaluations, and consultations. 

• Course 2| Caregiver Engagement in Assessment and Treatment
• Course 3| Clinical Decision-Making and Treatment Planning
• Course 4| Monitoring Safety Planning, Supervision, and Treatment Progress

• Certified in Family and Consumer Sciences (CFCS): This course is approved for 2.0 continuing education (CE) hours from the American Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close October 12, 2028.
• Board Certified Patient Advocates (BCPA): This course is approved for 2.0 CE contact hours by The Patient Advocate Certification Board. *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close October 12, 2028.*
• Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES): This course is approved for 2.0 CE credits from the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close October 12, 2028.*
• Domestic Abuse Victim Advocates: This course is approved for 2.0 CE credits from the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP). *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close October 12, 2028.*
• Social Workers, Licensed Professional Counselors, and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists: This course is approved for 2.0 CE from the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work (UTSW). Check with your state licensing agency for reciprocity and/or credit approval if licensed for other professions or in one of the following states: CO, FL, HI, IA, KS, KY, MI, NY, ND, OH, OK. *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close October 12, 2028.*
• Nurses: This course is approved for 2.0 CE credits from the Montana Nursing Association (MNA), an accredited approver with distinction by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation. *Note: Eligibility for CE credit will close October 12, 2028.*
• Certificates of attendance are available for providers interested in documenting additional professional development activities.

For questions regarding CEs, email CE@oneop.org.

• Additional Resources
• PSB-CY Course Series: Glossary and Terms

This course is part of the Sexual Behavior in Children & Youth (SBCY) Series. For more information on other professional development opportunities on this topic, visit the series homepage!

SBCY Series – Homepage