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Dissociative and Sexual Behaviors in Children and Adolescents With Sexual Abuse and Psychiatric Histories

NCJ Number
174335
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: April 1997 Pages: 155-171
Author(s)
W N Friedrich; T M Jaworski; J E Huxsahl; B S Bengtson
Date Published
1997
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article examines the relationship among a number of child- and caregiver-completed measures that assessed dissociative and sexual behavior in children.
Abstract
A sample of 350 children ages 7-18 were assessed for dissociative and sexual behaviors. Four groups were evaluated: a nonpsychiatric comparison sample, a psychiatric sample with no history of sexual abuse, a psychiatric sample with clear evidence of sexual abuse, and a group for whom sexual abuse was likely but not substantiated. All children completed the Trauma Symptom Checklist-Children (TSC-C), and varying numbers completed the Rorschach and MMPI. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBC), Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI), and Child Dissociation Checklist (CDC). Mean differences on the Dissociation and Sexual Concerns subscales of the TSC-C existed between the nonpsychiatric and psychiatric groups. The Dissociation subscale was significantly correlated with MMPI Scale 8 and CDC. Sexual Concerns were significantly related to sexual content on the Rorschach, CBC sex problems, and the CSBI. Duration and nature of abuse significantly contributed over and above age and gender in predicting total score on the Dissociation subscale. Tables, note, references