The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationships between parental acceptance-rejection/control, personality constructs and symptoms of psychopathology. In this regard, 801 university students (440 females and 361 males) between the ages of 18 and 47 (M = 21.85, SD = 2.59) participated in the present study. The data of the study were collected by a package of questionnaires consisting of Demographic Information Sheet, Mother Form of Parental Acceptance-Rejection/ Control Questionnaire, Father Form of Parental Acceptance-Rejection/ Control Questionnaire, Basic Personality Traits Inventory, Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale, Locus of Control Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, Trait form of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and Trait form of the State Trait Anger Expression Inventory, respectively. Prior to main analyses, factor structure of the Frost Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale was investigated in a university student sample. Similar to the original formulation and theoretical background, a six-factor solution was utilized including concern over mistakes, doubts about actions, personal standards, organization parental criticism and parental expectations factors. Later on, various MANOVAs were conducted to examine the influence of demographic variables on the measures of the study. Accordingly, socio-economic level and gender were indentified to have influence on parental behaviors, personality constructs and trait anxiety. Afterwards, two sets of hierarchical analyses were conducted to examine the paths between personality constructs and symptoms of psychopathology. As expected, negative parental behaviors predicted maladaptive personality constructs and symptoms of psychopathology. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the mediator role of perfectionism on the relationship between parental rejection/control and symptoms of psychopathology. Accordingly, perfectionism was identified as a mediator on the relationship between both maternal and paternal rejection and symptoms of psychopathology. On the other hand, in terms of parental control, only the relationship between paternal control and trait anger was mediated by the perfectionism. Later on, results of the current study were discussed within the related literature findings. Finally, clinical implications and suggestions for future research were stated.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo discutir a perícia psicológica em casos de suspeita de abuso sexual cometido contra crianças e adolescentes, tendo sido organizado em um estudo teórico e três empíricos (um quantitativo e dois qualitativos). O primeiro estudo empírico, que teve como amostra 674 laudos psiquiátricos e psicológicos, investigou a sintomatologia e os quadros psicopatológicos identificados em crianças e adolescentes supostamente vítimas de abuso sexual no contexto da perícia, indicando que alguns sintomas apresentam maior prevalência de acordo com idade, sexo e tipo de abuso. Para o segundo e terceiro estudos empíricos foram entrevistados doze psicólogos que atuam como peritos nos Institutos Médico-Legais (IMLs) de seis capitais brasileiras. O segundo estudo empírico investigou as técnicas utilizadas por psicólogos, sendo destacada a importância do uso de métodos múltiplos, bem como a necessidade do debate acerca do uso e finalidade dos testes psicológicos e métodos de avaliação da credibilidade do relato. O terceiro estudo empírico explorou a percepção de peritos psicólogos acerca da prática investigativa nos casos de suspeita de abuso sexual, tendo sido observados aspectos associados à relevância da perícia psicológica, bem como uma rede de dificuldades, avanços e expectativas. As conclusões apontam para a perícia psicológica em casos de suspeita de abuso sexual infanto-juvenil como área em fase inicial de desenvolvimento, ressaltando a necessidade de pesquisas nesta especialidade, bem como para dificuldades inerentes a este tipo de avaliação, como a própria natureza subjetiva dos dados com os quais o perito psicólogo atua. / The purpose of this thesis was to discuss the forensic psychological evaluation in cases of suspected of sexual abuse against children and adolescents. After a theoretical approach, three empirical studies were conducted, using both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. The quantitative research data consisted of 674 reports of psychological and psychiatric expertises, which were analyzed to investigate, in the context of forensic expertise, the symptomatology and psychopathology identified in children and adolescents victims of alleged sexual abuse. It was found that some symptoms have a higher prevalence according to age, gender and type of abuse. The second and third researches used a qualitative methodology to analyze in depth interviews done with twelve psychologists of six state capital Medical Legal Institutes (IMLs). First, the techniques used by the psychologists interviewed were investigated. The results revealed the importance of using multiple methods, as well as the need to continue the debate about the use and purpose of psychological testing and assessment methods of credibility. Second, the perceptions of forensic psychologists about the expertise in cases of suspected sexual abuse of children and adolescents were explored. The results indicated aspects associated with the relevance of psychological expertise, as well as a range of difficulties, progresses made and expectations for this area. The main conclusion was that the psychological expertise in cases of suspected sexual abuse against children and adolescents is in an early stage of development. This highlights the need for additional research in this area. Another important conclusion was that there are inherent difficulties in this type of assessment, such as the subjective nature of the data which the expert psychologists need to work with.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo discutir a perícia psicológica em casos de suspeita de abuso sexual cometido contra crianças e adolescentes, tendo sido organizado em um estudo teórico e três empíricos (um quantitativo e dois qualitativos). O primeiro estudo empírico, que teve como amostra 674 laudos psiquiátricos e psicológicos, investigou a sintomatologia e os quadros psicopatológicos identificados em crianças e adolescentes supostamente vítimas de abuso sexual no contexto da perícia, indicando que alguns sintomas apresentam maior prevalência de acordo com idade, sexo e tipo de abuso. Para o segundo e terceiro estudos empíricos foram entrevistados doze psicólogos que atuam como peritos nos Institutos Médico-Legais (IMLs) de seis capitais brasileiras. O segundo estudo empírico investigou as técnicas utilizadas por psicólogos, sendo destacada a importância do uso de métodos múltiplos, bem como a necessidade do debate acerca do uso e finalidade dos testes psicológicos e métodos de avaliação da credibilidade do relato. O terceiro estudo empírico explorou a percepção de peritos psicólogos acerca da prática investigativa nos casos de suspeita de abuso sexual, tendo sido observados aspectos associados à relevância da perícia psicológica, bem como uma rede de dificuldades, avanços e expectativas. As conclusões apontam para a perícia psicológica em casos de suspeita de abuso sexual infanto-juvenil como área em fase inicial de desenvolvimento, ressaltando a necessidade de pesquisas nesta especialidade, bem como para dificuldades inerentes a este tipo de avaliação, como a própria natureza subjetiva dos dados com os quais o perito psicólogo atua. / The purpose of this thesis was to discuss the forensic psychological evaluation in cases of suspected of sexual abuse against children and adolescents. After a theoretical approach, three empirical studies were conducted, using both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. The quantitative research data consisted of 674 reports of psychological and psychiatric expertises, which were analyzed to investigate, in the context of forensic expertise, the symptomatology and psychopathology identified in children and adolescents victims of alleged sexual abuse. It was found that some symptoms have a higher prevalence according to age, gender and type of abuse. The second and third researches used a qualitative methodology to analyze in depth interviews done with twelve psychologists of six state capital Medical Legal Institutes (IMLs). First, the techniques used by the psychologists interviewed were investigated. The results revealed the importance of using multiple methods, as well as the need to continue the debate about the use and purpose of psychological testing and assessment methods of credibility. Second, the perceptions of forensic psychologists about the expertise in cases of suspected sexual abuse of children and adolescents were explored. The results indicated aspects associated with the relevance of psychological expertise, as well as a range of difficulties, progresses made and expectations for this area. The main conclusion was that the psychological expertise in cases of suspected sexual abuse against children and adolescents is in an early stage of development. This highlights the need for additional research in this area. Another important conclusion was that there are inherent difficulties in this type of assessment, such as the subjective nature of the data which the expert psychologists need to work with.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo discutir a perícia psicológica em casos de suspeita de abuso sexual cometido contra crianças e adolescentes, tendo sido organizado em um estudo teórico e três empíricos (um quantitativo e dois qualitativos). O primeiro estudo empírico, que teve como amostra 674 laudos psiquiátricos e psicológicos, investigou a sintomatologia e os quadros psicopatológicos identificados em crianças e adolescentes supostamente vítimas de abuso sexual no contexto da perícia, indicando que alguns sintomas apresentam maior prevalência de acordo com idade, sexo e tipo de abuso. Para o segundo e terceiro estudos empíricos foram entrevistados doze psicólogos que atuam como peritos nos Institutos Médico-Legais (IMLs) de seis capitais brasileiras. O segundo estudo empírico investigou as técnicas utilizadas por psicólogos, sendo destacada a importância do uso de métodos múltiplos, bem como a necessidade do debate acerca do uso e finalidade dos testes psicológicos e métodos de avaliação da credibilidade do relato. O terceiro estudo empírico explorou a percepção de peritos psicólogos acerca da prática investigativa nos casos de suspeita de abuso sexual, tendo sido observados aspectos associados à relevância da perícia psicológica, bem como uma rede de dificuldades, avanços e expectativas. As conclusões apontam para a perícia psicológica em casos de suspeita de abuso sexual infanto-juvenil como área em fase inicial de desenvolvimento, ressaltando a necessidade de pesquisas nesta especialidade, bem como para dificuldades inerentes a este tipo de avaliação, como a própria natureza subjetiva dos dados com os quais o perito psicólogo atua. / The purpose of this thesis was to discuss the forensic psychological evaluation in cases of suspected of sexual abuse against children and adolescents. After a theoretical approach, three empirical studies were conducted, using both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. The quantitative research data consisted of 674 reports of psychological and psychiatric expertises, which were analyzed to investigate, in the context of forensic expertise, the symptomatology and psychopathology identified in children and adolescents victims of alleged sexual abuse. It was found that some symptoms have a higher prevalence according to age, gender and type of abuse. The second and third researches used a qualitative methodology to analyze in depth interviews done with twelve psychologists of six state capital Medical Legal Institutes (IMLs). First, the techniques used by the psychologists interviewed were investigated. The results revealed the importance of using multiple methods, as well as the need to continue the debate about the use and purpose of psychological testing and assessment methods of credibility. Second, the perceptions of forensic psychologists about the expertise in cases of suspected sexual abuse of children and adolescents were explored. The results indicated aspects associated with the relevance of psychological expertise, as well as a range of difficulties, progresses made and expectations for this area. The main conclusion was that the psychological expertise in cases of suspected sexual abuse against children and adolescents is in an early stage of development. This highlights the need for additional research in this area. Another important conclusion was that there are inherent difficulties in this type of assessment, such as the subjective nature of the data which the expert psychologists need to work with.