4A-S3-3

THE TREATMENT OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

Nurcombe, B.

The University of Queensland, Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, Australia

Objective: To review the psychopathology of child sexual abuse and the treatment methods for which there is some empirical support.

Method: Literature review and presentation of baseline data.

Results: Child sexual abuse has been associated, in adulthood, with low self-esteem, emotional disorders, suicide, complex posttraumatic stress disorder, eating disorder, and sexual dysfunction. In childhood, child sexual abuse has been associated with posttraumatic stress disorder, emotional disorder, behaviour disorder, dissociative disorder, somatization, and substance abuse. The following factors have been found to be associated with poor outcome: intrafamilial abuse, coercion, frequency and duration of abuse, genital penetration, lack of parental support after disclosure, and avoidant coping mechanisms. Some empirical support is available for the efficacy of group therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy, but insufficient for firm conclusions to be drawn. Properly controlled studies are required, with larger sample size, conducted in the community rather than in laboratory settings.

Conclusion: It is not clear that any therapeutic technique is effective. More research is required before clear conclusions can be drawn.