NCJ Number
142529
Date Published
1993
Length
320 pages
Annotation
Two case studies of child sexual abuse occurring in community preschools -- Manhattan Beach, California and Reno, Nevada -- are used to discuss the effects of reported molestation on children and their families.
Abstract
In the first section of this study, the authors describe the alleged ritualistic and nonritualistic abuse that occurred and compare the victims' behavior, fears, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, sexuality, achievement, school performance, and self-concept with a control group of nonabused children from southern California. Subsequent chapters discuss what happened to the children and their patterns of disclosure in therapy, as well as the children's overall levels of distress and cognitive, interpersonal, and emotional effects. The impact of sexual abuse on the children's families and therapists is examined. The study concludes by examining factors that were associated with positive outcomes for the children, both in the short- and medium-term, and offering recommendations for treatment based