NCJ Number
223039
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: 2008 Pages: 71-88
Date Published
2008
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study examined prevalence rates and types of memory for child sexual assault (CSA), as well as relationships between memory types, abuse characteristics, and psychological symptoms.
Abstract
Results found that the sample reported some form of recovered memories; sampling procedures might have contributed to the relatively high prevalence of recovered memories. Four characteristics of CSA were compared across three types of memory. Characteristics of abuse included age-at-onset, severity, duration, and number of abusers. Only age-at-onset was linked to memory types. Women who reported some type of recovered memories for CSA also tended to report an earlier age-at-onset and more severe current symptoms of trauma than other CSA survivors. Memories for CSA appeared to exist in a minimum of three types that, when combined for the purpose of analysis, might have obscured more subtle, disjointed, and/or vague forms of memory. The complexity of the participants’ memories was matched by the variety of abuse characteristics that typify both CSA and resulting outcomes. Results from this study as well as previous studies indicate the need to use multiple methodologies, more consistent measurement parameters, and phenomenological explorations of memory processes to this field of inquiry. Date were collected from 88 women who reported histories of CSA and were recruited from mental health centers, private therapists, and women’s agencies, such as rape crisis and domestic violence shelters. Tables, references