All of the subjects had been sexually abused by a family member. All perpetrators were male, except for one subject who was abused by her stepmother. The average age of onset of the abuse was 7 1/2 years, and the average duration of abuse was slightly over 2 years. For 20 percent of the subjects, the abuse occurred only once. The abuse included vaginal or anal penetration for 68 percent of the subjects. The following categories of factors that influence the disclosure process were measured: demographic characteristics and control variables, abuse characteristics, and disclosure categories. The following consequences of the disclosure process were also measured: anxiety, depression, family functioning and coping, and therapy experiences. The circumstances associated with disclosure were found to be related to long-term psychological functioning. Children who disclosed accidentally were younger, experienced abuse for shorter durations, and received the most therapy. At follow-up, children who purposely disclosed their abuse had greater anxiety and greater difficulties coping. The discussion focuses on ways in which identifying and encouraging the least traumatic methods of disclosure would contribute to better outcomes for victims of sexual abuse. 3 tables and 31 references