A clinical-demographic study of sexually abused children

doi:10.1016/0145-2134(86)90027-X

Child Abuse & Neglect

Volume 10, Issue 1, 1986, Pages 17-23

https://doi.org/10.1016/0145-2134(86)90027-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Forty-five children who had been sexually abused were psychologically evaluated. Parents or guardians of the children completed symptom checklists. Results indicated that the majority of children (71%) were abused 4 or fewer times. In addition, genital manipulation and/or fondling was the most common form of abuse. In 82% of the cases, there were no marital separations or family breakups of any kind within six months before or six months after the abuse. Many children (69%) displayed psychological symptoms. The most frequent were nightmares, bedwetying, clinging behavior, inappropriate sexual behavior, anxiety and sadness. Results of this study are largely inconsistent with popular notions about the nature of child sexual abuse. The major methodological shortcoming of the investigation was the lack of a systematic control group.

Résumé

Cette étude porte sur 45 cas de sévices sexuels exercés sur des enfants, l'accent étant mis sur le suivi psychologique. Cette évaluation a été faite à l'aide de formulaires remplis par les parents. Les auteurs décrivent la nature et le degré de gravité des sévices, ils donnent l'identité de l'agresseur, des renseignements sur la stabilité familiale ou sa dissolution, et ils présentent leurs résultats quant aux symptômes psychologiques démontrés par les victimes. Ils comparent ces résultats avec les croyances populaires et les données exposées dans la littérature ainsi que les hypothèses concernant les sévices sexuels à l'égard d'enfants. Les auteurs reconnaissent les limites méthodologiques de leur étude et soulignent avec force les différences qui existent entre leurs observations et celles rapportées dans la littérature. Ils insistent sur le fait que la recherche dans le domaine de la violence sexuelle à l'égard d'enfants est encore dans ses balbutiements initiaux.

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Cited by (107)

Social workers’ views on pre-trial therapy in cases of child sexual abuse in South Africa
2018, Child Abuse and Neglect
Citation Excerpt :
The harmful impact of CSA on the social and emotional wellbeing of children is well documented in literature. Earlier studies indicate that between 21% and 36% of victims of CSA present with no detectable symptoms during childhood (Conte & Schuerman, 1987; Kendall-Tackett, Williams, & Finkelhor, 1993; Mannarino & Cohen, 1986; Tong, Oates, & McDowell, 1987). A more recent study found that between 10% and 53% of children with a history of CSA have normal levels of functioning (Domhardt, Munzer, Fegert, & Goldbeck, 2014).
This study sought to explore anecdotal reports that social workers in South Africa are often advised to postpone therapy with child complainants of sexual abuse until after the child's testimony, based on concerns of legal professionals that therapeutic interventions could influence the child's testimony. Applying purposive sampling and a qualitative research study, individual and focus group interviews were conducted with 18 social workers and one psychologist that provide therapeutic services to child complainants of sexual abuse in the Gauteng province. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and independently analyzed by both researchers, performing thematic analysis. Emerging themes include a lack of directives in terms of the provision of pre-trial therapy for child victims of sexual abuse, current practices and challenges in this regard. Recommendations for the way forward are presented. Limitations and future research will be discussed.
Sleep disturbances in sexual abuse victims: A systematic review
2012, Sleep Medicine Reviews
Citation Excerpt :
The studies are summarized in Table 4. Four of these were studies of child sexual abuse victims.42,46,48,49 Four studies included clinical samples,43,44,46,48 one used a community sample,42 while the remaining three used other samples (men who had been raped during war,47 children in foster care49 and youth in residential housing,45 respectively).
An impressive body of research has investigated whether sexual abuse is associated with sleep disturbances. Across studies there are considerable differences in methods and results. The aim of this paper was to conduct the first systematic review of this area, as well as to clarify existing results and to provide guidelines for future research. We conducted searches in the electronic databases PsycINFO and PubMed up until October 2010 for studies on sleep disturbances in sexually abused samples. Thirty-two studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria (reported empirical data, included sexually abused subjects, employed some form of sleep measurement, English language and published in peer reviewed journals). Across the studies included, sleep disturbances were widespread and more prevalent in sexually abused subjects as compared to in non-abused samples. Symptoms reported more frequently by sexually abused samples included nightmare related distress, sleep paralysis, nightly awakenings, restless sleep, and tiredness. Results were divergent with regards to sleep onset difficulties, nightmare frequency, nocturnal activity, sleep efficiency, and concerning the proportion of each sample reporting sleep disturbances as such. Potential sources of these divergences are examined. Several methodological weaknesses were identified in the included studies. In order to overcome limitations, future researchers are advised to use standardized and objective measurements of sleep, follow-up or longitudinal designs, representative population samples, large sample sizes, adequate comparison groups, as well as comparison groups with other trauma experiences.
Imagery Rehearsal Therapy for Adolescents
2011, Behavioral Treatments for Sleep Disorders
Imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) is indicated for treatment of chronic nightmares in adolescents, and for potential treatment of acute nightmares in adolescents. IRT is useful for various types of disturbing dreams, not necessarily those classically defined as nightmares, which nosologically include an awakening with a feeling of fear or anxiety. Repeatedly in research studies, it is clear that not all patients, adults, or adolescents, awaken from their nightmares, which has thus promoted the term “bad dreams” or “disturbing dreams” for this subset. While there is some evidence that bad dreams and nightmares might reflect a difference in severity, one may find that IRT works well on both categories. Nightmares are commonly viewed in children and adolescents as a maturational process that is unlikely to require treatment. Scant attention is given to nightmares and nightmare treatments (for children or adolescents) in the medical, psychiatric, and psychological literature, not to mention the clinical setting. Because of the conventional wisdom that nightmares in children and adolescents decrease with time, a nightmare disorder at this age is more likely diagnosed subsequent to severe psychosocial stress such as the death of a caregiver, divorce, sexual/physical abuse, or neglect.
Safe Enough to Sleep: Sleep Disruptions Associated with Trauma, Posttraumatic Stress, and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents
2009, Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America
Citation Excerpt :
A random sample of 763 adolescents from 15 high schools in France found that 6.8% reported nightmares,23 whereas a convenience sample of 11- to 14-year olds (n = 144) from several urban American schools found a nightmare prevalence of 20%.24 More than half of the chronic adult nightmare sufferers report an onset before the age of 20, and it is likely that many chronic nightmare sufferers experienced traumatic events in childhood.25 In a sample of 30 girls with chronic nightmares who were residing in a state school for adolescent girls convicted of felonies, 29 of the 30 had been sexually abused,22 and adult survivors of sexual assault with PTSD report having nightmares several times per week.20
Sleep disturbance is an essential symptom of posttraumatic stress disorder, and recent evidence suggests that disrupted sleep may play an important role in the development of posttraumatic stress disorder following traumatic stress. The authors review several aspects of sleep as it relates to posttraumatic stress disorder. First, there is an association between traumatic stress and different components of disrupted sleep in children and adolescents. Second, sleep disruption appears to be a core feature of other pediatric anxiety disorders, and the authors consider if this preexisting sleep vulnerability may explain in part why preexisting anxiety disorders are a risk factor for developing posttraumatic stress disorder following a traumatic event. Third, the authors consider attachment theory and the social context of trauma and sleep disruption. This article concludes with a consideration of the therapeutic implications of these findings.
Predictors of resilience in abused and neglected children grown-up: The role of individual and neighborhood characteristics
2007, Child Abuse and Neglect
This paper examines individual, family, and neighborhood level predictors of resilience in adolescence and young adulthood and describes changes in resilience over time from adolescence to young adulthood in abused and neglected children grown up.
We use documented cases of childhood physical and sexual abuse and neglect (n = 676) from a Midwestern county area during the years 1967–1971 and information from official records, census data, psychiatric assessments, and self-reports obtained through 1995. Analyses involve logistic regressions, replicated with Mplus to test for possible contextual effects.
Almost half (48%) of the abused and neglected children in adolescence and nearly one-third in young adulthood were resilient. Over half of those who were resilient in adolescence remained resilient in young adulthood, whereas 11% of the non-resilient adolescents were resilient in young adulthood. Females were more likely to be resilient during both time periods. Being white, non-Hispanic decreased and growing up in a stable living situation increased the likelihood of resilience in adolescence, but not in young adulthood. Stressful life events and a supportive partner promoted resilience in young adulthood. Neighborhood advantage did not exert a direct effect on resilience, but moderated the relationship between household stability and resilience in adolescence and between cognitive ability and resilience in young adulthood.
Ecological factors appear to promote or interfere with the emergence and stability of resilience following childhood maltreatment.
Child abuse assessment
2006, Clinician's Handbook of Child Behavioral Assessment
This chapter explores the arena of child abuse assessment. Assessment of child abuse is undertaken either to evaluate allegations of physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, so as to contribute to legal decision making, or to determine psychological adjustment following abuse experiences. Given these potentially divergent purposes, it is essential to clarify the purpose of each child abuse assessment and the consequent role of the evaluator at the outset of the evaluation process. Goals of forensic evaluations of child abuse include offering an opinion as to whether or not abuse has occurred, determining a child's competency to stand trial, and addressing a child's credibility related to testifying. On the other hand, goals of therapeutic evaluations include evaluating a child's level of psychological adjustment, informing treatment planning, and determining the effectiveness of treatments. Due to the potential ethical conflicts that are inherent in dual forensic and therapeutic roles, these roles should be kept separate. Regardless of whether a child abuse assessment is for forensic, research, or treatment planning purposes, the overarching goal of every child abuse assessment should be to promote the health and welfare of the child. Consistent with this goal, an ongoing focus on risk and protective factors should inform every child abuse assessment. Comprehensive information on relevant risk and protective factors is most likely gleaned through gathering information on multiple domains of functioning and using multiple informants and assessment measures.

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^☆: This paper was presented, in part, at the Second National Conference for Family Violence Researchers, Durham, New Hampshire, August 1984.

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A clinical-demographic study of sexually abused children☆

Abstract

Résumé

Special Report. Child sexual abuse: Incest, assault and sexual exploitation

An estimate of nationwide incidence of sexual offenses against children

Child Welfare

Hidden Victims: The Sexual Abuse of Children

Sexually Victimized Children

Physical and Sexual Abuse of Children

Role of mothers in father-daughter incest: A feminist analysis

Social Work

Incest: Theoretical and clinical views

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

Betrayal of Innocence: Incest and Its Devastation

Family therapy for multiple incest family

Journal of Psychiatric Nursing and Mental Health Services

Female child victims of sex offenses

Social Problems

Sexual abuse in children

Adolescence