Working Through the Puzzle: Understanding Dyadic and Family Roles in Incest 

Kelly M. Babchishin

Incest challenges fundamental assumptions about family dynamics and relational roles. Despite its prevalence, the mechanisms underlying sexual abuse within families are complex and poorly understood. In this keynote, I will examine the latest theoretical frameworks and empirical findings to illuminate dyadic and familial dynamics in incestuous behaviours. Specifically, I will address three critical questions: (1) What patterns of behaviour and family dynamics are unique to siblings and parent-child incest? (2) Which contextual (e.g., bed-sharing, absences) and individual factors (e.g., impulsivity, sex drive) heighten the risk of incest? (3) How can prevention and intervention strategies be refined to incorporate these insights effectively? By disentangling the "puzzle" of incest, this keynote deepens our understanding of its dynamics, identify gaps in existing research, and provide actionable strategies for evidence-based prevention and intervention.

Kelly M. Babchishin, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Forensic Psychology at Carleton University, where she leads the Sexually Harmful Behaviours Research Lab. She earned her Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology from Carleton University and completed a Banting postdoctoral fellowship at both the Institute of Mental Health Research in Ottawa and the Karolinska Institute's Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics in Stockholm. Before joining Carleton, Dr. Babchishin served as a research advisor at Public Safety Canada and the Parole Board of Canada, contributing to evidence-based policies for justice-involved individuals. Her research focuses on the development and maintenance of sexually harmful behaviors, utilizing epidemiological and socioecological frameworks to enhance prevention efforts. She has received several accolades, including the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) Early Career Research Award, the John Charles Polanyi Prize in Medicine, and the Royal Ottawa's Inspiration Award for early career researchers. Dr. Babchishin's work is supported by grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Tech Coalition Safe Online Research Fund.