Periodicals > The Journal of Sex Research > Volume 32, Issue 1

Name: Childhood Exposure to Parental Nudity, Parent‐Child Co‐Sleeping, and "Primal Scenes": A Review of Clinical Opinion and Empirical Evidence
Authors: Okami, Paul
Indexed Date: 20 Sep. 2023
Web Link: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499509551774
Index Status: Complete
Original Language: English
Genre: Non-Fiction
Citation: Okami, Paul. “Childhood Exposure to Parental Nudity, Parent‐Child Co‐Sleeping, and 'Primal Scenes': A Review of Clinical Opinion and Empirical Evidence.” The Journal of Sex Research, Volume 32, Issue 1, Jan. 2010, pp. 51-63, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499509551774

Summary

The article compares clinical opinion with empirical evidence of psychological harm associated with childhood exposure to parental nudity, parent-child co-sleeping, and scenes of parental sexuality ("primal scenes"). Scant empirical data suggests little harm associated with these behaviors, and only co-sleeping has any indication of associated harm, which may actually be related to sleep disturbance as an antecedent rather than a consequence of co-sleeping. The studies outlined suggest that contextual factors, individual differences, and ecological contexts are likely to play a significant role in determining any potential negative outcomes.