Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI)

The Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI), developed by William N. Friedrich, is a 38-item assessment tool measuring the occurrence of sexual behaviors in children age 2-12 years who have been sexually abused or who are suspected of being sexually abused (McKnight, 2001). Using parental report, primarily mothers or female caregivers, the CSBI looks at nine different domains of sexual behavior, including boundary problems, exhibitionism, gender role behavior, self-stimulation, sexual anxiety, sexual interest, sexual intrusiveness, sexual knowledge, and voyeuristic behavior (Bernt, 2001). I chose this test because as a survivor of child sexual abuse, I feel it is my duty to educate others on what is and is not “normal” child sexual behavior. As applied to my field in Child Welfare, I think that it will

The CSBI can be administered individually or in groups and is typically given in paper-and-pencil format (Bernt, 2001). As stated by Hogan as a way to categorize a test, a paper-and-pencil test is a way to respond to a series of questions by using paper and pencil, but may also appear on computer screens (Hogan, 2013, p.9). To administer this inventory, no formal training is required. The items are written at a fifth-grade reading level, directions are clear and concise, but due to the subject matter, the content is explicit in nature (Bernt, 2001). Overall, the questionnaire asks parents to report on behavior over the past 6 months and takes about 10 minutes to complete. In selected-response items, one is presented with at least two, but no more than a small number of options to choose from (Hogan, 2013, p. 202). The response format used in the CSBI is a 4-point Likert scale, which indicates the frequency of behavior, as 0=never to 3=at least once per week (Bernt,