Assessing Grooming In Child Sexual Abuse: Development and Validation of a Clinician-Reported Measure

Background and Purpose:
Sexual grooming is a key process in child sexual abuse, yet it is often difficult to assess in a consistent and systematic way. Prior research has identified patterns and stages of grooming, including desensitization, coercion, and manipulation of relationships (Winters & Jeglic, 2017; Winters et al., 2020). At the same time, broader research has highlighted the prevalence and evolving nature of abuse, particularly with the growth of online exploitation (Finkelhor et al., 2024). Despite this, existing approaches often rely on case narratives or theoretical models, with fewer tools available to measure specific grooming behaviors in clinical and forensic settings—particularly those occurring in online contexts.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Sex Offense Grooming Assessment (SOGA), a clinician-report measure designed to assess a range of grooming strategies, including both in-person and technology-assisted behaviors, used by adults who have caused sexual harm to children.

Methods:
Following pilot testing with men who had been convicted of sexual offenses, the revised SOGA was administered to licensed mental health providers across the United States who work with adults who have committed sexual offenses against children. A total of 73 therapists provided data on 281 clients in treatment, with respondents completing the measure based on their knowledge of a current or past client.

Psychometric analyses were conducted to evaluate the reliability and structure of the measure. Inter-item correlations were examined, and exploratory factor analysis was conducted using multiple factor retention criteria and rotation methods to determine the optimal factor structure. Item retention decisions were guided by factor loadings (≥ .40). Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha for each factor.

Results:
Findings supported a reliable 40-item measure with six subscales capturing distinct grooming strategies: sexual normalization, coercion, threats and force, online or technology-assisted grooming, desensitization and deception, bribery, and exploitation of environment and relationships. Items from the pilot version demonstrating weaker psychometric performance were removed, resulting in a more efficient and clinically usable instrument. The final factor structure reflects the range and variability of grooming behaviors observed in practice, including both in-person and online tactics.

Conclusions and Implications:
The SOGA provides a structured and reliable tool for assessing grooming behaviors in clinical and forensic contexts, including those that occur in online environments. By identifying specific strategies used to facilitate abuse—across both in-person and technology-assisted contexts—the measure can support more accurate risk assessment, inform treatment planning, and strengthen forensic evaluations. Future research should examine the use of the SOGA in different settings, including its ability to predict recidivism and its application in prevention and early intervention efforts. More broadly, the findings support the need for standardized approaches to assessing grooming behaviors, particularly as online forms of exploitation continue to evolve.