NCJ Number
170199
Date Published
1997
Length
223 pages
Annotation
Sibling abuse is discussed in terms of the range of abusive behaviors perpetrated among siblings, steps for parents to take to recognize and respond to their children's abusive interactions, and current techniques of assessment and treatment by mental health professionals.
Abstract
The text is intended for use by professionals who work in the field of domestic assault, to mental health professionals, to students preparing to become mental health professionals, adult survivors of sibling abuse, and parents. The book presents findings from the author's research, in which 150 adults completed an anonymous 14-page questionnaire containing both open-ended and closed-ended questions. The text presents the stories of adult survivors of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse; they describe their experiences and their parents' reactions. Additional chapters present theoretical frameworks for understanding sibling abuse, the effects of sibling abuse on survivors, criteria for distinguishing normal interactions between siblings from abusive behavior, strategies for preventing sibling abuse, and implications for mental health professionals who may be treating survivors. Figure, table, index, and 170 references