Parental Response to Child Sexual Abuse Trials Involving Day Care Settings (From Child Trauma I Issues and Research, P 259-271, 1992, Ann Wolbert Burgess, ed. -- See NCJ-137060)

• NCJ Number: 137068
• Author(s): A W Burgess; C R Hartman; S J Kelley; C A Grant; E B Gray
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 13 pages
• Grant Number(s): 90-CA-1273; 88-VR-GX-K001
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health and Human Services; Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)
• Sale Source: Garland Publishing, Inc.
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter reports on a study that examined the stress responses of parents to whether or not their children testified in a sexual abuse trial against defendants from a day care center.

Abstract

The study used a convenience sample of parents (65 mothers and 46 fathers) of 67 children who were sexually abused in 16 child care settings in 12 States. The sexual abuse of each of the child subjects was substantiated by the agency responsible for the investigation of the allegation of sexual abuse in each jurisdiction. Parents completed a questionnaire and the SCL-90-R, Impact of Events Scale, and the Life Events Survey. Parents of 17 testifying children presented higher symptoms of psychological distress than parents of 50 nontestifying children sexually abused in day care centers. The reported stress was higher in fathers than in mothers. Following disclosure of their child's sexual abuse, stressful life events of death in the family, loss of income, and separation were associated with parents of testifying children. The need for trauma-specific interventions for parents to assist in their adjustment to their child's trauma is indicated by these findings. 2 tables and 29 references