ABSTRACT
Despite a dramatic increase of the empirical literature on child sexual abuse, very few investigations have examined the initial effects of extrafamilial sexual abuse (ESA). The present study evaluated the emotional and behavioral adjustment of 41 children (mean age 10 years, range 5.4 to 15.5 years) within the first 3 months following the disclosure of ESA. Children's functioning was compared to that of a nonclinical comparison group of 43 children, matched on child's age, gender, and family constellation. Child functioning was assessed using a combination of child-report, primary caregiver-report (i.e., parent), and teacher-report measures. Results revealed that sexually abused children, in comparison to nonabused children, suffered deleterious and clinically significant effects. Standard multiple regressions found that the children's perceptions of self-blame and guilt for the abuse and the extent of traumatization predicted their self-reported symptomatology of depression, social efficacy, and general and abuse-related fears. As well, child's gender predicted the level of general fearfulness. None of the other demographic or abuse-related variables were related to children's functioning. These results underscore the need for multidimensional and multisource assessment of children who experience ESA, and point to the clinical importance of addressing the abuse-related attributions of these children.
Subject(s)
Affective Symptoms/psychology , Child Abuse, Sexual/psychology , Child Reactive Disorders/psychology , Self Disclosure , Adolescent , Affective Symptoms/diagnosis , Child , Child Abuse, Sexual/diagnosis , Child Reactive Disorders/diagnosis , Child, Preschool , Family/psychology , Female , Gender Identity , Humans , Male , Personality AssessmentABSTRACT
A randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate the effectiveness of relaxation training in the treatment of paediatric migraine. Relaxation training was compared with-two control groups (psychological placebo and 'own best efforts') in a total of 99 children and adolescents with frequent migraine. Daily recording of the headaches following treatment, three months after treatment and at the one-year follow-up indicated that all three treatments were equally effective. The importance of the use of adequate control conditions which generate equivalent expectancies in pain treatment research was confirmed.