Child Sexual Abuse and Mental Disorder

1. Incidence
This first part of the paper deals with the question of how to define child sexual abuse.
Differences in the definitions that impede a comparison of different studies conducted on
this topic are examined. Child sexual abuse has long been thought to be rare or at least
occurring in small numbers only. In recent decades, however, the incidence of child
sexual abuse cases seemed to explode. Probably only the higher number of reported cases
is responsible for that phenomenon. The incidence of child sexual abuse probably did not
really change. The number of child sexual abuse ranges for females somewhere between
6% to 62% and for males between 3% and 31% (Whetsell-Mitchell, 1995; Finkelhor,
1993). The large difference between these numbers is due mainly to the fact of different
definitions in the studies. In the following paragraphs three different elements for which
definitions seem necessary are discussed. First the phrase child sexual abuse is to be
defined. Second phrases for the sexual inappropriate behavior are examined, and third
terms to name the abuser are defined. 2. Child Sexual Abuse.
A sample of phrases equated with child sexual abuse by different researchers is: sexual
victimization, sexual exploitation, sexual assault, sexual misuse, child molestation, sexual
maltreatment, and child rape (Whetsell-Mitchell, 1995). Discussion about child sexual
abuse becomes even more difficult when different fields are taken into account. The legal
and the social welfare system have quite different ideas of child sexual abuse, and these ideas are different from the psychological ideas as well. Some features are more
ambiguous than others are. For instance, it is more likely for different people to agree that
child sexual abuse has happened when one or the other form of penetration was involved.
It becomes more difficult when behavior is examined that might be perfectly normal in
one family, while abusive in another family. This depends on the family’s idea and
practice of nudity. While one family thinks it inappropriate to be naked in front of the
child another family might find this perfectly normal. Thus, if one of the parents would
approach his or her naked child during bathing, it would be normal in family two but not
in the first one. This is largely related to the environment in which the child grew up. One
feature that indicates sexual abusive behavior is sexual gratification for the involved
adult. [...]

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• I Definitions and Methods
  • [A] Definition
    • 1. Incidence
    • 2. Child sexual abuse
    • 3. Incest
    • 4. Sexual inappropriate behavior
      • i.) Non-contact abuse
      • ii.) Contact abuse
    • 5. Sexual Abusers
    • 6. Issues of Gender
  • [B] Methods
    • 1. Self report/case studies
    • 2. Psychological scales
    • 3. Referral
    • 4. Drawings and anatomically correct dolls
• [II] The Victim
  • [A] Data on Victims
    • 1. Socio-demographic data
      • i.) High risk groups
      • ii.) Day care centers
      • iii.) Family structure and parenting
    • 2. Psychological Data
      • i.) Prior victimization
      • ii.) Blame
      • iii.) Special issue - mother-daughter incest
    • 3. Intercultural examples
      • i.) Canada
      • ii.) Netherlands
      • iii.) Zimbabwe
  • [B] Impact on Mental Health
    • 1. General remarks
      • i.) Systematic Variation
      • ii.) Clinical Control Group
      • iii.) General Complex of Symptoms
    • 2. Anxiety
      • i.) Sources and Symptoms of anxiety
      • ii.) Case Story From the Netherlands
      • iii.) Impact of Parent-Child Relationship
      • iv.) Psychosomatic Symptoms
    • 3. Post-traumatic stress disorder
      • i.) Symptoms
      • ii.) Influence of disclosure on PTSD Symptomatology
      • iii.) Psychosomatic Symptoms
      • iv.) Prior Victimization
    • 4. Depression
      • i.) General Remarks
      • ii.) Depression Immediately after Abuse
      • iii.) Five Years After the Abuse
      • iv.) Depression in the Adult Personality
    • 5. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)
      • i.) General Remarks
      • ii.) Dissociative Identity Disorder - one single entity?
      • iii.) Defining Symptoms
      • iv.) Childhood Experiences
      • v.) System of Alters
      • vi.) Treatment
    • 6. Persistence of Impact
      • i.) Sleeper Variables
      • ii.) Sexual Disturbance
      • iii.) Anxiety and Depression
      • iv.) Substance Abuse and Physiological Issues
      • v.) Postsexual Abuse Syndrome?
    • [C] Associated Problems
      • 1. Child sexual abuse and the legal system
        • i.) Employment of protective devices
        • ii.) Expert testimony
        • iii.) General accuracy of memory
        • iv.) Delayed disclosure

  Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

  This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current literature on child sexual abuse. It explores the definitional issues that complicate comparisons between studies and then delves into the impact of child sexual abuse on victims. The paper analyzes data on victims, including socio-demographic characteristics, psychological data, and intercultural examples. It then examines the mental health consequences of child sexual abuse, focusing on anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and dissociative identity disorder. Finally, the paper considers associated problems, such as the legal system's response to child sexual abuse and the phenomenon of delayed disclosure.

  • The definition of child sexual abuse and its complexities.
  • The impact of child sexual abuse on victims, including socio-demographic characteristics, psychological data, and intercultural perspectives.
  • The mental health consequences of child sexual abuse, specifically anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, and dissociative identity disorder.
  • The challenges in treating child sexual abuse victims.
  • Associated problems related to child sexual abuse, such as legal responses and delayed disclosure.

  Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

  The first chapter addresses the definitional challenges surrounding child sexual abuse. It examines various definitions of child sexual abuse, incest, and sexually inappropriate behavior, both with and without physical contact. Additionally, it touches upon the characteristics of sexual abusers and issues related to gender. The second chapter, which is the main focus of the paper, presents data on victims of child sexual abuse. This includes socio-demographic data, highlighting high-risk groups, the role of daycare centers, and family structure and parenting. Psychological data, such as prior victimization, blame, and the specific issue of mother-daughter incest, is also explored. Finally, the chapter examines intercultural examples of child sexual abuse from Canada, the Netherlands, and Zimbabwe.

  Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

  This paper focuses on the keywords child sexual abuse, victimization, mental health, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, dissociative identity disorder, treatment, legal system, and delayed disclosure.

Details

• College: Hendrix College (Department for Abnormal Psychology)
• Course: Independent Study
• Grade: Good
• Author: Arnold Ackerer (Author)
• Publication Year: 1998
• Pages: 109
• Catalog Number: V21990
• ISBN (eBook): 9783638254595
• Language: English
• Tags: Child Sexual Abuse Mental Disorder Independent Study