Review of Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Outcome Research (From Child Sexual Abuse: Critical Perspectives on Prevention, Intervention, and Treatment, P 181-202, 1991, Christopher R Bagley and Ray J Thomlison, eds. -- See NCJ-132818)

• NCJ Number: 132827
• Author(s): R J Thomlison
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 22 pages
• Sale Source: Wall and Emerson, Inc
• Publication Type: Literature Review
• Language: English
• Country: Canada

Annotation

This literature review identifies and reports on evaluations of child sexual abuse treatment, so as to identify the gaps in this research and recommend future approaches to research in this area.

Abstract

A thorough computer literature search was conducted along with a manual review of journals that focus on child sexual abuse. The search identified only nine separate program evaluations. The quality of the research in these nine studies indicates that outcome effectiveness or program evaluation of child sexual abuse treatment programs is in its infancy. The majority of the studies are methodologically weak and use only posttreatment evaluation measures. The research literature indicates that a wide variety of treatment approaches and techniques are used, yet little effort has been made to evaluate which of these approaches and techniques are most effective. More work must be done to develop clear program objectives that differentiate the various techniques and treatment personnel. At a minimum, the quality of methodology and research designs must be enhanced by the use of premeasurement and postmeasurement periods, standardized measurement instruments, and more elaborate measurement procedures. 1 table and 102 references