NCJ Number
222330
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 32 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2008 Pages: 261-275
Date Published
February 2008
Length
15 pages
Annotation
The purpose of this study was to develop and test a prospective model of attention problems in sexually abused children that includes fixed variables, trauma, and disclosure-related pathways.
Abstract
The results demonstrate that children who are sexually abused by someone within their family and/or report symptoms of dissociation upon disclosure of abuse are at increased risk of developing attention problems 8-36 months after disclosure. The findings support the importance of assessing children’s reactions immediately after disclosure, thereby providing essential information about later problems in functioning. The findings also suggest the victim-perpetrator relationship is a critical component of the trauma of sexual abuse in terms of predicting future functioning. The association between child sexual abuse (CSA) and attention problems has been well documented. However, the mediating mechanisms involved in this relationship are relatively unknown. The goal of this research study, thought to be the first, examines the utility of a prospective model incorporating fixed variables (e.g., gender), trauma, and disclosure-related pathways leading to attention problems in sexually abused children. One hundred and fifty-six children met criteria for the study, with all 156 comprising the Time 1 sample assessing fixed variables, trauma, and stress reactions upon disclosure and only 74 involved in the Time 2 sample assessing attention problems. Tables, figure, and references