NCJ Number
209900
Journal
Aggression and Violent Behavior Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: May-June 2005 Pages: 475-489
Date Published
May 2005
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This article reviews research that identifies adults’ expectations for various groups of children, focusing on those children who have been sexually abused, and it explores the potential impact these expectations have on children’s functioning and recovery.
Abstract
Because outcomes of sexual abuse vary greatly among children, researchers have examined the impact of child, family, and abuse characteristics on the development of symptomatology in children. Related research provides strong evidence for parental support having an influence on children’s recovery. However, research on the impact of adults’ expectations on children’s adjustment from sexual abuse has only just begun to be examined. This article investigates, through a review of research, the relationship between parental expectancies and children’s recovery from sexual abuse, as well as the impact of adult expectations on sexually abused children. There is consistent finding that adults appear to hold negative expectations about the outcome of sexually abused children. It is suggested that the negative expectations held by adults can influence how they interact with sexually abused children and that the sexual abuse label may act to maintain or exacerbate adverse outcomes of child sexual abuse. Future research is recommended in ascertaining how adults’ expectations about sexually abused children develop. References