The study sample included 28 children referred to a hospital-based outpatient clinic to assess treatment needs related to recent disclosures of sexual abuse. The children were divided into two groups based on the victimization history of their mothers, and each group was composed of 14 mother-child pairs. Mothers completed the Child Behavior Checklist and children were given the Structured Pediatric Psychosocial Interview. Results showed rates of PTSD symptoms were comparable to rates found in previous studies, with over half of sexually abused children displaying PTSD symptoms. The two groups of children were equivalent on the presence of PTSD symptoms. More mothers victimized as children suffered PTSD when their children reported being sexually abused. Although both children and mothers displayed PTSD symptoms, mother-child pairs did not reliably exhibit PTSD symptoms when examined as a unit. Treatment implications of the study findings are discussed. 24 references and 3 tables