NCJ Number
149920
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1994) Pages: 125-142
Date Published
1994
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The levels of depression, anxiety, and self-esteem were studied in a southern California sample of 75 sexually abused girls who averaged 12.9 years of age.
Abstract
The children completed three self-report measures; information regarding specific details of the abuse was gathered from the child's record. Results revealed higher levels of anxiety and depression and lower levels of self- worth than in normal samples. Although multivariate analysis failed to find a relationship between abuse-specific variables and outcome when the variables were examined alone, significant interactions emerged among variables. The interaction between the identity of the perpetrator and force was significantly related to levels of depression and self-worth. Force was related to a less serious impact when the father was a perpetrator and more serious with a nonfather perpetrator. The interaction of the perpetrator and whether the child was removed from the home was related to anxiety. When abused by a perpetrator who was not a father figure, those removed from the home had higher levels of anxiety than those not removed. Findings provide support to the efforts of child welfare personnel to keep the child in the home after a report of sexual abuse, but only when the perpetrator is not a father figure. Results also suggested that focusing interventions on helping the mother increase her support of the child would seem to be more appropriate than removing the child for protection. Figures, tables, and 34 references (Author abstract modified)