NCJ Number
144437
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 8 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1993) Pages: complete issue
Editor(s)
M Gordon,
P C Alexander
Date Published
1993
Length
128 pages
Annotation
These 10 papers focus on the treatment of adult victims of child sexual abuse and were among the papers presented at a 1990 workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health.
Abstract
The workshop examined current conceptual and methodological issues in conducting research on treatment of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and to stimulate more research and better-designed treatment studies. Individual papers review studies that use the victimization- symptomatology approach and combine this framework with an ecological perspective to argue that some symptoms of incest survivors result from the abusive experience and others from the interpersonal issues in sexually abusing families. Further papers conceptualize the target of treatment as the adult survivor's attempt to cope with negative beliefs and emotions associated with sexual abuse and discuss movement through three major stages of recovery from abuse. Additional papers examine the design of clinical trials and research on the treatment process, methodological criteria essential for research focusing on treatment outcomes, and research on the process of treatment. Additional papers comment on general issues related to the relationship between child sexual abuse and adult mental health. Tables and chapter reference lists