NCJ Number
204941
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: January-February 2004 Pages: 51-64
Date Published
January 2004
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This article reviews the research literature concerning treatment outcomes for childhood sexual abuse where a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) conceptualization was used to plan treatment.
Abstract
Despite the large number of children victimized by sexual abuse and the vast research literature regarding the short- and long-term consequences of childhood sexual abuse, there are very few treatment outcome studies. The authors review the available treatment outcome studies that have used the diagnosis of PTSD as a framework for treatment intervention. The article begins with a review of the psychological sequelae associated with childhood sexual abuse and then reviews psychological treatments for children who have been sexually abused. The review underscores the absence of a conceptual framework for understanding the impact of the abuse and notes that there is little experimentally-based research on individual treatments for survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Cognitive behavioral treatments for childhood sexual abuse are reviewed next. Cognitive behavioral techniques such as exposure and cognitive restructuring have provided positive treatment outcomes for adults, so it is reasonable to assume such an approach may be suited to child victims as well. The authors conclude that cognitive behavioral techniques that involve the reliving and confrontation of the abusive experience, as well as anxiety reduction and cognitive restructuring, can substantially help sexually abused children and their nonabusing caregivers. Caution is suggested in employing these methods, however, until independent reviews can replicate positive treatment outcomes. References