NCJ Number
138504
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1992) Pages: 179-187
Date Published
1992
Length
8 pages
Annotation
To assess the initial interaction of female molestation victims with male or female counselors, the Vanderbilt Process of Psychotherapy Scale-Revised (VPPS), the Perceptual Process of Psychotherapy Scale (PPPS), and a rating form were used to assess the behavior of 20 sexually abused females, ages 7 to 17, during an initial counseling session.
Abstract
Trained raters watched videotapes to observe interactional differences between those who were treated by males rather than by female counselors. There were no significant differences for sex of counselor on VPPS subscales, PPPS items, and frequency of verbalization by the victim and counselor. No significant differences occurred in the frequency of victim and male counselor verbalization, but female counselors had a significantly higher frequency of verbalization as compared to their clients. Ratings for victims' discussion of their sexual abuse showed that one girl seen by a male counselor mentioned her abuse and one treated by a female counselor talked about her molestation experience. The need exists for additional research, but study findings suggest that female molestation victims may not necessarily need to be treated by female counselors. 1 table and 19 references