NCJ Number
133807
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1991) Pages: 494-511
Date Published
1991
Length
18 pages
Annotation
A follow-up investigation was conducted of the psychological symptomatology exhibited by 73 sexually abused girls ages 7 to 13 who were compared with 69 clinical controls and 69 normal controls at 6-month and 12-month follow-up assessments.
Abstract
All findings with the self-report measures were nonsignificant except on the Piers-Harris Children's Self Concept Scale in which abused girls had significantly higher self-esteem than both control groups. On the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL parent version), the sexually abused girls and clinical controls exhibited significantly more problems than did the normal controls at both follow-ups on the Total Behavior Problems Scale, the Internalizing Scale, the Externalizing Scale, and at least seven of nine subscales. At 12-month follow-up, sexually abused girls who had been subjected to intercourse displayed significantly more emotional/behavioral problems on all of the self-report measures and three broad band factors of the CBCL than those who had experienced only fondling. The study findings support the clinical observations of many therapists who perceive sexually abused children as experiencing long-term emotional and behavioral problems. 4 tables and 17 references (Author abstract modified)