NCJ Number
140048
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 16 Issue: 5 Dated: (September-October 1992) Pages: 755-762
Date Published
1992
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A sample of 81 alleged child sexual abuse victims and a group of 90 nonabused children, matched for age, race, and gender, were administered the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist to compare the parental assessments of problem behaviors.
Abstract
The group of alleged sexual abuse victims scored significantly higher in mean total behavior problems, internalizing, and externalizing than the comparison group. All the subscale findings were consistent with research reporting withdrawal, impaired social interactions, and sexual problems in alleged sexual abuse victims. Significant differences between the victims and the control group on many individual behaviors that have been described as indicators of sexual abuse, including fear, temper tantrums, nightmares, somatic complaints, and regressive behaviors, did not emerge. These findings indicate that such behaviors are not specific and may be indicative of other problems as well as sexual abuse. 5 tables and 14 references