The CSBI is a parent report (mother or primary female caregiver) measure of sexual behavior in children ages 2-12 years. It is intended for use with children who have been or who may have been sexually abused. The test was developed in response to evidence that sexual abuse is related to the presence of precocious sexual behaviour in children. To fully understand each child and ensure his or her safety, it is essential that the CSBI be used in combination with other clinical measures and procedures.
The CSBI test booklet contains 38 items assessing a wide range of sexual behaviours that cover nine major content domains:
- Boundary Issues
- Sexual Interest
- Exhibitionism
- Sexual Intrusiveness
- Gender Role Behaviour
- Sexual Knowledge
- Self-Stimulation
- Voyeuristic Behaviour
- Sexual Anxiety
The 38 items are written at a 5th-grade reading level. The mother (or primary female caregiver) writes directly in the Test Booklet, indicating how often she has observed each of the listed behaviours during the preceding six months. Each item is rated on a 4-point scale from 0 (never) to 4 (at least once a week). The carbonless form is designed to be hand-scored by the examiner and includes a Score Summary box for recording raw scores and T-score conversions.
The three CSBI clinical scales facilitate interpretation of test results. The CSBI Total scale indicates the overall level of sexual behaviour the child exhibits. The Developmentally Related Sexual Behaviour (DRSB) scale indicates sexual behaviours that can be considered normative for the child's age and gender. The Sexual Abuse Specific Items (SASI) scale indicates sexual behaviours that can be viewed as relatively atypical for the child's age and gender; such behaviours raise the suspicion of possible sexual abuse.
The Professional Manual provides information regarding CSBI development, administration and scoring, interpretation, normative data, reliability, and validity. The CSBI was normed on 1,114 children from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds in the general U.S. population.
CSBI data from 512 children from child abuse centers are also presented. The Appendix provides raw score to T-score conversions for the CSBI clinical scales for six age/gender groups.