NCJ Number
176466
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 5 Issue: 4 Dated: October 1996 Pages: 239-251
Date Published
1996
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper reviews psychological instruments that might be useful to clinicians in the United Kingdom in assessing child sexual abuse, usually as an adjunct to an assessment interview.
Abstract
The research collected information on the demographic characteristics of the 190 young people referred between January 1989 and December 1993; the nature of their abuse and its perpetrators; and the type, length, and outcome of the treatment. The survey also asked questions regarding whether the team was serving its target population, young people who had experienced severe sexual abuse, and whether the severity of abuse predicted the intensity or length of treatment. Further questions focused on differences in services provided to males and females and on differences in results produced by experienced and inexperienced therapists. Results revealed that the service was being used by its target group and that severe abuse was associated with longer or more intensive therapy. In addition, the service did not appear to meet the needs of males adequately. Finally, experienced therapists appeared to achieve the same treatment outcome as inexperienced therapists in a shorter period of time. Figure, tables, and 9 references (Author abstract modified)