Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Confidants' non supportive reactions to disclosure in child sexual abuse constitutes an extensive and significant problem and is associated with a variety of negative consequences: (a) Victims do not receive adequate support or intervention and are left vulnerable to further victimization, (b) non-supportive intra-familial confidants are at greater risk of having their children removed, and (c) the justice system is rendered ineffective by the associated lack of police reporting. This study examined the extent of non-supportive disclosure and the factors associated with such reactions in a sample of 856 cases of child sexual abuse (796 girls and 60 boys) reported in the North Durban policing area of KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa) in the period January 2001 to December 2003. Of the various agents identified as having provided non-supportive reactions, three categories of non-supportive confidants emerged: namely family members, professional persons, and community members in their respective order of significance. Hierarchical cluster analysis of disclosure variables identified two broad homogenous groups (clusters) of cases of non-'supportive disclosure ("Incestuous Abuse Disclosed Within the Family", and "Extra-familial Abuse Disclosed Outside of the Family"). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that cluster membership was meaningfully predicted by the three measure of consanguinity included in the analysis, but not significantly related to other abuse related variables. Furthermore, in cases of extra-familial abuse, nonsupportive disclosure was significantly more likely when (a) victims were below the age of twelve years, (b) no violence was used by the offender, and (c) the confidant was not related to the victim. The implications of the findings for secondary prevention and for future research are discussed in detail in this article. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2005.

Thesis (M.A.)--The Master's College, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 139-142).

Thesis (M.A.)--Calvin Theological Seminary, 1994. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [104-106]).

The study sought to examine the influence of differences in perception of the family environment on adjustment following child sexual abuse. Eighty-eight children who had been sexually abused and their caregivers completed self-report measures regarding the Relationship Dimension of the Family Environment Scale (FES). Adjustment was measured by child report of posttraumatic stress and sexual concerns on the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSC-C) and depression on the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Parent's report of adjustment was based on endorsement of internalizing and externalizing behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Analysis revealed elevated expressiveness for parents and children, higher conflict and lower cohesion reported by adolescents (12- 18), and lower conflict endorsed by children (6-11) as compared to the normative sample. Differences were noted in adolescent perception of conflict as compared to their primary caregiver; however, adolescent discrepancy scores of the family environment did not predict outcome. Caregivers reported higher internalizing and externalizing behaviors for the sample as compared to the normative sample.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not adults who were child incest participants exhibited greater personality adjustment problems than adults who were not child incest participants. The sample consisted of undergraduate students of The University of Arizona who had volunteered to participate in the study. Each student completed the Personal Orientation Inventory as a measure of personality adjustments, and a questionnaire adapted from the David Finkelhor Questionnaire, which placed each respondent into one of four groups. Group 1 respondents reported having had a childhood sexual experience with another child (a friend or a sibling). Group 2 respondents reported having had a childhood sexual experience with an adult who was not a family member. Group 3 respondents, the child incest participants, reported having had a childhood sexual experience with an adult who was a family member. Group 4 respondents reported having had no childhood sexual experiences. The data was analyzed in two 4 x 2 factorial analyses of variance. The P.O.I. scale scores and subscale scores were the dependent measures of personality adjustment. The independent measures of the first analysis were group membership and gender; of the second analysis, group membership and age. No statistically significant differences among the groups were found on any of the eight P.O.I. scale scores. There were statistically significant effects due to gender on three of the eight P.O.I. scales, females tending to score higher than males. The one exception to that trend was on the Time Competent scale, on which the males of Group 3 scored higher than the females of Group 3. Although that reversal trend occurred, there were no statistically significant interaction effects between group membership and gender. There were statistically significant effects due to age on two of the eight P.O.I. scales, older persons tending to score higher than younger persons. The one exception to this trend was on the Spontaneity subscale, on which the younger persons of Group 4 scored higher than the older persons. This reversal did result in a statistically significant interaction effect between group membership and age. The results of this study, although limited in scope, indicate that not all adults who were child incest participants exhibit greater personality adjustment problems than adults who were not child incest participants.

The present study of all cases of substantiated child sexual abuse received by a local social service agency in 1981 examined (a) the relationship of early contact between perpetrator and victim to such mitigating factors as attachment and intergenerational boundaries (b) the impact of the incest taboo on the severity of abuse and (c) a variety of descriptive variables to identify various characteristics of incestuous families and the services they recieve. Chi square analyses failed to identify differences between groups in the severity of sexual abuse. However, the sample was not similar to those reported in the literature--containing a high percentage of unemployment, prior marriages, criminal history and prior referrals for child abuse, suggesting that this sample of perpetrators did differ significantly from the general population and from the populations which have been reported in other studies.

This dissertation’s analyses examined the association of caregiver, child, abuse and investigation characteristics with maternal response and emotional harm among families for whom child sexual abuse (CSA) was suspected or substantiated. Method This study was based on secondary analysis of data collected in the Canadian Incidence Study of Report Child Abuse and Neglect 1998. The current analysis was limited to 373 CSA investigations for which there was a female non-offending caregiver and complete data on maternal response. Bivariate and hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted for two outcomes; maternal response and emotional harm. Results According to social worker assessment, the majority of female non-offending caregivers (87.1%) of children investigated for suspected or substantiated child sexual abuse responded with belief of the abuse disclosure, emotional support and protection of the child victim. The overall maternal response model was significant and accounted for 40.8% of the variance (Nagelkerke R2). Factors significantly associated with maternal response in the multivariate model included maternal mental health, age of the child, child’s manifestation of sexualized behavior, child’s relationship to the perpetrator, duration of abuse and co-occurring maltreatment. The overall emotional harm model was significant and accounted for 18.3% of the variance (Nagelkerke R2). Age of the child at the time of investigation, inappropriate sexualized behavior and substantiation level were significant predictors in the final block of the emotional harm regression equation. Maternal response was no longer significantly associated with emotional harm when the analysis adjusted for child characteristics. Conclusion Consistent with previous research, the majority of non-offending mothers investigated as part of the CIS-98 responded to CSA disclosure with belief, emotional support and protection as determined by the social worker’s assessment. The current study supports the cumulative evidence that caregiver mental health, age of the child and the child’s relationship with the offender are significant predictors of negative maternal response and emotional harm. Although negative maternal response failed to predict emotional harm among children investigated for CSA, continued examination of the risk factors associated with maternal response is warranted to ensure the safety of a small, yet vulnerable segment of children.

No description available.

M.A.