NCJ Number
145383
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (1993) Pages: 117-126
Date Published
1993
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the incidence of abuse among handicapped children and the special psychotherapeutic needs of this population.
Abstract
Despite the widespread recognition that sexual abuse may have adverse behavioral and emotional effects, there is little empirical evidence establishing the efficacy of certain therapeutic strategies and the relationship between specific victim attributes and the treatment outcome. Because sexual abuse is heterogeneous in terms of characteristics and circumstances of occurrence, no single intervention is likely to emerge that is effective in all situations. Treatments that appear most promising are those based on social learning models and derived from treatments for families of aggressive children. The Center for Abused Handicapped Children has provided evaluation and treatment services to over 1,500 clients. The three currently available psychotherapy modalities offered at the Center include the Therapeutic Education for Abused Children with Handicaps (TEACH) program, child-based weekly outpatient treatment, and child-based therapy with an intervention involving the nonoffending parent. Experiential and laboratory techniques including drawing, play, and games are used for children with a wide range of disabilities. There is a need for more research to identify effective treatments for handicapped and nonhandicapped sexually abused children. 19 references