Mental Health Professional and the Incest Victim: Who We Blame and When We Report

• NCJ Number: 112434
• Author(s): M E Craig; S C Kalichman
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 10 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Paper presented to the Meeting of the Southeastern Psychological Association, Orlando, Florida, March 1986

Annotation

Patterns of father/daughter incest responsibility attributions and incest reporting patterns were investigated in data for 33 male and 38 female licensed and unlicensed mental health professionals.

Abstract

On two measures of incest responsibility, both licensed and unlicensed clinicians attributed the most blame to the father and the least to the daughter. Clinicians also attributed a substantial amount of responsibility for incest to the mother. Of nonlicensed clinicians, 25 percent indicated that they would not report incest, and 40 percent were unaware of reporting laws; while all of the licensed clinicians would report incest and were aware of mandatory reporting laws. Nonlicensed clinicians indicated that they were more likely to console and comfort the victim and find out what she would like done about the situation. For these clinicians, there was not a direct relationship between knowledge of reporting laws and willingness to report; some clinicians unaware of the law would report, while others aware of the law would not. Results suggest the need for clinician training in the areas of values clarification and attitudes toward sexual abuse and on the reporting laws and the effects of reporting on the child, family, and subsequent treatment. The Jackson Incest Blame Scale is appended. 3 tables and 9 references.