NCJ Number
177892
Journal
Sexual Abuse: A Journal of Research and Treatment Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: April 1999 Pages: 159-175
Date Published
1999
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study identified factors related to perceived family support among a sample of adults sexually abused as children.
Abstract
With the increasing popularity of family therapies in cases of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), many studies have concluded that the support of family members is important in victims' recovery. This study examined this issue by testing the hypothesis that victims of intrafamilial CSA would report more family dissatisfactions and perceive less family support than extrafamilial victims. A total of 66 subjects were recruited from the undergraduate population at a major university in the southwestern United States. Participation was solicited through posters that requested subjects who had experienced unwanted adult-child sex as a child. The Family Support Questionnaire was developed to measure the amount of immediate family support perceived by these adult victims of CSA. Subjects also completed the Index of Family Relations, a general measure of family satisfaction in which the respondent indicates the frequency with which each statement is true on a Likert Scale from 1 to 5. As hypothesized, intrafamilial victims reported significantly more general family dissatisfaction. Specifically, the subjects perceived significantly less father, parent, and brother support. Additionally, the gender of the victim played a significant role; male victims reported less father, parent, and sister support and less family protectiveness after disclosure when compared to female victims. Based on the results, clinicians should be aware that issues of gender and relatedness may play a significant part in the effectiveness of their CSA clients' family support systems. 4 tables, 41 references, and appended Family Support Questionnaire