NCJ Number
147379
Journal
Hospital and Community Psychiatry Volume: 44 Issue: 7 Dated: (July 1993) Pages: 666-670
Date Published
1993
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The prevalence of childhood sexual abuse, physical abuse, and neglect among female outpatients with severe and persistent mental illness was examined in a sample of 78 women enrolled in a New York State outpatient clinic.
Abstract
The study also sought to determine patterns of co- occurrence of the various types of abuse and to explore the relationships between childhood abuse and adult psychiatric symptomatology. Data were gathered in personal interviews using a structured questionnaire. Results revealed that 65 percent of the women reported histories of some type of child abuse or neglect during childhood. Forty-five percent had been sexually abused, 51 percent had been physically abused, and 22 percent had experienced neglect. Most of those abused or neglected had experienced more than one type of abuse or neglect. Those who had been abused or neglected in childhood had higher levels of psychotic symptoms and higher rates of sexual victimization in adulthood than those who had not been abused. Women who experienced childhood neglect had higher rates of homelessness in adulthood. Findings indicated that clinicians should try to determine whether chronic mentally ill women have histories of abuse and to develop interventions to meet their special needs. Table, figure, and 39 references (Author abstract modified)