FACTORS RELATED TO ATTRIBUTION OF BLAME IN FATHER-DAUGHTER INCEST

Attribution of blame in father-daughter incest using the Jackson Incest Blame Scale and the Attitudes Towards Incest Scale-Revised was investigated through a questionnaire mailed to a random sample of the general adult population. 300 respondents completed the questionnaires (207 women, 93 men). Based on factor analyses, five blame subscales were identified for the Jackson Incest Blame Scale, i.e., Victim, Situational, Societal, Offender, and Offender Mental Status, the last being unique to this study. Ratings by men attributed more blame on the Victim and Situational subscales than did those by women. Scores for 51 victims of childhood sexual abuse on the Jackson Incest Blame Scale did not differ from those of 249 nonvictims. Scores on subscales of the Attitudes Towards Incest Scale-Revised (Credibility, Power, Parental Role, Victimization) were moderately correlated with ratings on Jackson's scale. More total blame and more blame of victim were associated with lower rated credibility towards a claim of incest; lower rated blame of victim was related to greater recognition of the incestuous father's coercive role.