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Positive Reaction to Disclosure and Recovery from Child Sexual Abuse

NCJ Number
185699
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: 2000 Pages: 29-51
Author(s)
Leonard T. Gries; David S. Goh; Mary B. Andrews; Jeri Gilbert; Frances Praver; Dalia N. Stelzer
Date Published
2000
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This study investigates factors associated with improvement in the behavioral-emotional functioning of sexually abused children, from 6 to 18 years of age.
Abstract
The study sample comprised 21 children and adolescents in foster care who were attending psychotherapy. Children were classified by their therapist according to current level of disclosure regarding past abuse. Children in an actively disclosing stage exhibited significantly less externalizing behavior problems than non-disclosing children. Children who were fully disclosing without recantation showed significantly lower dissociation than did all other subjects. As all subjects were in foster care, foster parents' reactions to disclosure were most salient with respect to current functioning. Other significant findings pertain to the effects of time since initial disclosure, age of suspects, and type of sexual abuse on behavioral-emotional functioning. This article discusses implications for developing structured training programs for foster parents and their caseworkers. It also recommends future research using the study design with a non-foster care population and investigating the relationship between the timing of supportive reactions and disclosure. Tables, references, appendix