Clinical-Forensic Dichotomy in Sexual Abuse Evaluations: Moving Toward an Integrative Model

• NCJ Number: 232708
• Journal: Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 19 Issue: 5 Dated: September-October 2010 Pages: 590-608
• Author(s): Amy C. Tishelman; Susanne K. Meyer; Penny Haney; Sara K. McLeod
• Date Published: September 2010
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: For additional articles in this special issue see NCJ-232703-07.

Annotation

This study examined the use of an approach to evaluation of Child Sexual Abuse(CSA)when the situation is unclear or ambiguous.

Abstract

The authors propose the use of an approach to evaluation that can be undertaken in a clinical setting when concerns regarding child sexual abuse are unclear or ambiguous and other systems are not involved, thus providing an option for the nondisclosing child often discussed in the "delayed disclosure" literature. This approach can also be appropriate for a child with a questionable prior disclosure not being served by other intervention systems. The authors have labeled this an "integrative" model, incorporating forensically sound practices into evaluations conducted in a clinical setting. The goals of this manuscript are to (a) provide a rationale for conducting child sexual abuse extended evaluations in a clinical setting, (b) delineate the purposes of such evaluations, (c) differentiate this "integrative" model from the forensic-clinical dichotomy framework discussed by Kuehnle (1996), and (d) briefly describe the format, which can be refined by future practice and research. (Published Abstract)