NCJ Number
222997
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2004 Pages: 108-123
Date Published
January 2004
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study investigated to what extent abuse-related symptoms and family functioning were related to intra- or extrafamilial sexual abuse.
Abstract
The study shows that differences in abuse-related symptoms and in perception of family functioning are not related to type of abuse. Independent of the type of abuse, the adolescents reported a variety of symptoms, with 53 percent of them suffering from severe trauma-specific symptoms, and 33 percent showing no symptoms at all. In this study, the functioning of families with a sexually abused adolescent did not differ from nonclinical families. Yet, a lack of cohesion in the family was a determinant for more internalizing symptoms in abused adolescents. As for clinical implications, family therapy should focus on increasing cohesion in families with sexually abused adolescents. This study investigated to what extent abuse-related symptoms and family functioning were related to intra- or extrafamilial sexual abuse. With a study sample of 109 sexually abused adolescents, the objectives of the study were (1) to explore the variability of trauma-related symptoms in sexually abused adolescents, (2) to examine differences in abuse-related symptoms between intra- and extrafamilial abused adolescents, (3) to examine differences in family function between intra- and extrafamilial abuse adolescents, and (4) to investigate whether characteristics of family functioning could be predictive for trauma-related symptoms. Tables, references