Psychological intervention with adult victims of sexual abuse: A comprehensive review.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a phenomenon that is ubiquitous to all cultures and social classes. It has short- and long-term consequences, with specific treatment models that have been developed and adapted from psychological intervention models. A wide variety of studies have sought to evaluate the results of treatments with adult CSA survivors. This study presents an overview of research on the treatment of adult victims of CSA, by reviewing the existing literature on the types of treatment and the most studied psychotherapeutic avenues, and reports the findings related to the efficacy of these treatments. It is possible to conclude that psychological intervention exhibits benefits in the reduction of symptoms resulting from the experience of CSA and demonstrates the need to conduct further research on the effectiveness of intervention.

Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences in Young Adults and Adults: A Systematic Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Investigations have shown the different impacts that ACEs have on an individual's adult life, on both physical and mental health, but they have not yet shown the issue of the influence of ACEs on adults and young adults. Objective/Participants and Setting: This systematic review, performed according to the PRISMA norms and guidelines, intended to understand the most frequent outcomes of adverse childhood experiences in the life of young adults and adults. METHODS: Studies were identified through multiple literature search databases at EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and PubMed April 2023, and a total of 279 studies, published between 1999 and 2002, were excluded, 256 because of multiple factors: being duplicates, showing statistical analysis with correlations only, being systematic reviews or case studies, comprising individuals under the age of 18, and not meeting the intended theme; ultimately, we selected for the review a total of 23 studies. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The impacts of the various articles are subdivided into three main themes: antisocial and criminal behaviour; sexual Behaviour and intimate partner violence; and attachment, quality of life, and therapeutic alliance.

Psychological intervention and treatment programs for adult victims of child sexual abuse: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a public crime, prevalent worldwide and associated with various consequences, which are potentially destructive, both in the short- and the long-term. This systematic review aimed to critically describe and analyze the studies published about the treatments implemented with these victims. METHOD: Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, studies were identified through search on EBSCO, PubMed, and Web of Science. Of the 49 articles retrieved, 14 were retained for further analysis, and seven were considered eligible for inclusion, leading to a final sample of seven articles, published between 2011 and 2021. From each study, we extracted objectives, methodological aspects, and main conclusions. Inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) empirical studies that provided psychological treatment for adult victims of CSA; (b) studies that included at least two treatment groups, with or without a control group but with pre- and posttreatment measures; (c) studies whose treatment was directed at the victim. Exclusion criteria were as follows: (a) studies published before 2011; (b) studies that included children and/or adolescents in their sample; (c) case studies; and (d) studies that have not implemented any psychological treatment for adult victims. RESULTS: Most therapeutic approaches have been shown to be effective in reducing at least one of the symptom variables assessed (e.g., anxiety, depression, and PTSD), for which dialectical behavior therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy showed the best results. CONCLUSIONS: Although promising, the inconclusive results reflect the need for quality, controlled studies with a representative sample of CSA victims, which would overcome methodological shortcomings found in the analyzed studies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Childhood traumatic experiences and psychopathy: A comprehensive review.

OBJECTIVE: Psychopathy has a considerable societal cost, which motivates research on the mechanisms that cause individuals to engage and persist in antisocial behaviors. It is known that individuals with marked psychopathic traits or callous-unemotional traits typically engage in higher rates of aggressive behaviors. These traits seem to have roots both in biological and environmental factors. This article aims to clarify, through a comprehensive review of the literature, what kind of traumas experienced in childhood may contribute to the development of a psychopathic personality structure. METHOD: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to organize such evidence. RESULTS: Childhood maltreatment has been associated with a wide range of maladaptive outcomes, ranging from internalizing to externalizing symptoms. Some have suggested that this range of symptoms is largely attributable to a disruption in the usual parent-child attachment bond, which may occur in parent-child relationships characterized by emotional maltreatment. Many studies now suggest that key features of temperament, such as anger, self-regulation/self-control, and negative emotionality, can be positively influenced through prevention and treatment programs. CONCLUSIONS: This comprehensive review provides information for improving our ability to treat problematic personalities and reduce the risk of future antisocial behavior. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).