Influences on attitudes toward physical affection between adults and children

Recent publicity about sexual abuse may be creating unwarranted negative attitudes toward normal physical affection. In this study, 301 subjects (parents, nonparents, and early childhood professionals) rated approval of videotaped adult-child interactions. Before viewing the tape, half of the subjects read a statement about sexual abuse and the other half read about the benefits of touch. Within each group, half of the subjects were told that the videotaped adults were parents and the others thought that they were day care providers. Analysis of approval scores for touch and no-touch scenes showed that (a) when subjects are attuned to sexual abuse, they are more disapproving of affectionate touching and more approving of nonphysical interactions; (b) affection is more highly approved when it comes from a parent than from a day care provider; (c) men approve less of adultchild physical affection than women do; and (d) early childhood professionals are more approving of physical affection.