Assessment of sexual abuse allegations in child custody cases.

Family courts frequently rely on the expertise of mental health professionals to assess allegations of sexual abuse within the context of child custody evaluations. Such evaluations are complex and require knowledge of techniques used in sexual abuse and sexual offender evaluations, as well as knowledge of child custody practices. Preliminary findings from a national survey of 84 psychologists indicated that respondents tend to adhere to the child custody guidelines of the American Psychological Association. However, few practitioners followed formal models, protocols, or guidelines when evaluating alleged victims or alleged perpetrators of sexual abuse in conjunction with child custody disputes. Implications for professional practice are discussed, along with a proposed comprehensive model for assessing sexual abuse allegations in child custody cases. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Responding to therapists' sexual abuse of adult incest survivors: Ethical and legal considerations.

Adult survivors of incest are high-risk candidates for subsequent sexual abuse by their therapists. As with incest, therapists' sexual abuse of their patients has become known as "the problem with no name." In addition, many of the ways in which the profession of psychology and the judicial system respond to patients' allegations of sexual abuse by their therapists often parallel the responses family members and authority figures made to the original allegations of incest. This article discusses some of the complex interactions among therapeutic dynamics and ethical and legal issues associated with this professional dilemma, and outlines ways in which the profession might begin to address this dilemma. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Jurors' perceptions of hearsay in child sexual abuse cases.

The authors examined jurors' perceptions of child victims who testified in court and adult witnesses who repeated children's hearsay statements. Data were collected from criminal courts in 2 major U.S. cities (42 juries and 248 jurors). After deliberating in child sexual abuse trials, jurors completed a detailed questionnaire concerning their perceptions of the main child victim involved in the case and the adult who spoke with the child prior to trial about abuse and who testified about what the child disclosed (the adult-hearsay witness). In all trials, a child victim and adult-hearsay witness testified. Results are discussed in relation to trial outcome, child credibility, and adult-hearsay witness credibility. Implications for use of hearsay evidence in child abuse cases are also addressed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Burnout and inequity among human service professionals: A longitudinal study.

In a composite sample of human service professionals (N?=?245), longitudinal relations across 1 year were tested between equity in the professional–recipient relationship and burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment). The 1st research question was whether inequity influenced burnout across time. The 2nd research question was whether longitudinal relations between equity and burnout were curvilinear, as predicted by equity theory. The results confirmed that inequity affects the central component of burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion) and that this relation is curvilinear. Feeling more deprived and feeling more advantaged resulted in higher future emotional exhaustion levels. No indication was found for a longitudinal relation between inequity and depersonalization. A synchronous relation was found suggesting that personal accomplishment influences equity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Memories of childhood sexual abuse: a survey of young adults

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prevalence of, characteristics of, and factors associated with forgetting of childhood sexual abuse memories in a large non-clinical sample (N = 1712). METHOD: Using an anonymous survey, we asked respondents about (a) the nature and severity of their childhood abuse; (b) the continuity of their abuse memories; and (c) their experiences with others suggesting to them that they might have been abused. RESULTS: A substantial minority of victims in our sample reported having temporarily forgotten their childhood sexual abuse. Forgetting was largely unassociated with victim or abuse characteristics. Compared to individuals who always remembered their abuse, however, individuals who temporarily forgot were more likely to report that someone had suggested to them that they might have experienced abuse. Those who received such suggestions were particularly likely to suspect that they may have experienced childhood sexual abuse that they do not yet remember. CONCLUSION: Forgetting may be less common than implied by earlier estimates from clinical samples, yet it is not uncommon. Also, a sizable minority of the population is wondering whether they have experienced unremembered abuse, and these suspicions are linked to having encountered suggestions from others. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the phenomenon sometimes labeled repression.     

Admissibility of repressed memory evidence by therapists in sexual abuse cases.

The surfacing of repressed memories and resultant allegations of childhood sexual abuse is analyzed in the context of the evidentiary admissibility of the proffered expert testimony by therapists. To be admissible, such expert testimony must comply with the criteria set forth by the Supreme Court in Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The literature on repression and repressed memories is reviewed in light of various therapist techniques used with clients presenting complaints of lost memory. The scientific efficacy of these suggestive techniques, and the frequently false memories of childhood sexual abuse that ensue, is cause for concern regarding their evidentiary reliability, and such testimony fails the Daubert criteria for the admissibility of expert testimony. Suggestions are made to assist judges in their evidentiary gatekeeping role. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Predicting the impact of child sexual abuse on women: The role of abuse severity, parental support, and coping strategies.

Female Navy recruits (N=5,226) completed surveys assessing history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA), childhood strategies for coping with CSA, childhood parental support, and current psychological adjustment. Both CSA and parental support independently predicted later adjustment. In analyses examining whether CSA victims' functioning was associated with CSA severity (indexed by 5 variables), parental support (indexed by 3 variables), and coping (constructive, self-destructive, and avoidant), the negative coping variables were the strongest predictors. A structural equation model revealed that the effect of abuse severity on later functioning was partially mediated by coping strategies. However, contrary to predictions, the model revealed that childhood parental support had little direct or indirect impact on adult adjustment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of sexual abuse on children: A review and synthesis of recent empirical studies.

A review of 45 studies clearly demonstrates that sexually abused children have more symptoms than nonabused children, with abuse accounting for 15–45% of the variance. Fears, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), behavior problems, sexualized behaviors, and poor self-esteem occurred most frequently among a long list of symptoms noted, but no one symptom characterized a majority of sexually abused children. Some symptoms were specific to certain ages, and approximately one-third of victims had no symptoms. Penetration, the duration and frequency of the abuse, force, the relationship of the perpetrator to the child, and maternal support affected the degree of symptomatology. About two-thirds of the victimized children showed recovery during the 1st 12–28 mo. The findings suggest the absence of any specific syndrome in children who have been sexually abused and no single traumatizing process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prior childhood sexual abuse in mothers of sexually abused children

OBJECTIVE: To study extensively the therapeutic approach of gastroesophageal reflux disease in intellectually disabled children. DESIGN: We studied the effect of omeprazole sodium on healing and symptom relief in 52 institutionalized intellectually disabled children (male-female, 21:31; mean age, 15.4 years; range, 4-19 years). INTERVENTION: Endoscopically proven esophagitis (grades I-IV, Savary-Miller classification) was treated with omeprazole sodium, 40 mg/d (20 mg/d for children weighing <20 kg) as healing dose for 3 months, and 20 mg/d (10 mg/d for children weighing <20 kg) as maintenance dose for another 3 months. After 3 and 6 months, results of treatment were evaluated using symptom scoring and/or endoscopy. For patients with relapse, the dose was increased. RESULTS: At first endoscopy, 19 patients (36%) of 52 showed grade I esophagitis; 20 (38%), grade II; 6 (12%), grade III; and 7 (13%), grade IV. In 44 (86%) of 51 patients, treatment was effective in healing esophagitis and keeping patients in remission, independent of the severity of esophagitis. In 7 patients (14%), a symptomatic relapse was observed after decreasing the dose. However, these patients became symptom free again after increasing the dose and showed healing on endoscopy at the end of the study. One child did not finish the study for reasons not related to therapy. Marked improvement of persistent vomiting, regurgitation, food refusal, iron deficiency anemia, and signs of depression was seen at the end. CONCLUSIONS: Omeprazole is highly effective for all grades of esophagitis in intellectually disabled children, without adverse effects. The dose needed to maintain the remission can be titrated according to the reflux symptoms. One disadvantage of medical therapy is that it is open ended, in contrast to operation, but surgery in this population has high mortality and complication rates.     

Graduate-level education and training in child sexual abuse.

The purpose of this article is to further graduate-level education and training in child sexual abuse. Two graduate-level courses that focus on child sexual abuse are considered as well. The following points are made: (a) Training in child sexual abuse should be incorporated into professional training programs; (b) research and theory courses on child sexual abuse are indicated; (c) the topic of child sexual abuse should be mainstreamed into existing practica; (d) the multidisciplinary nature of the field necessitates consideration of resources and references beyond those specific to psychology as well as professional engagement with individuals from many disciplines; and (e) training in child sexual abuse elicits strong emotional responses in trainees and others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Differential effects of women's child sexual abuse and subsequent sexual revictimization.

Examines the differential effects of sexual revictimization in a community sample of 248 African-American and White American women (aged 18–36 yrs). Two classifications of sexual revictimization over the life course were used to assess the effects of later sexual and psychological functioning. The findings suggest that unintended pregnancies and abortions were significantly associated with sexual revictimization. Women who reported more than one incident in both childhood and adulthood were also likely to have multiple partnerships and brief sexual relationships. The findings are discussed within the context of the dynamics of sexual revictimization and its effects. Suggestions are offered for therapeutic strategies with survivors in order to minimize the effects of sexual revictimization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mental health and law enforcement professionals: Trauma history, psychological symptoms, and impact of providing services to child sexual abuse survivors.

A survey of 558 mental health and law enforcement professionals assessed current and past trauma experiences, exposure to traumatic client material, and the sequelae of both of those types of personal and professional trauma experiences. Results indicated that 29.8% of therapists and 19.6% of officers reported experiencing some form of childhood trauma. The 2 groups differed in their reports of psychological symptoms, trauma-specific symptoms, and work-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. There was some evidence that professionals with a history of child abuse reported significantly higher levels of symptoms that have been associated with trauma survivors in past research. However, more proximal variables seem to have greater relevance to current functioning. The implications for training and prevention of secondary traumatization are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Prevention of child sexual abuse: Myth or reality.

Programs to prevent child sexual abuse have proliferated as a result of increased public awareness and professional documentation of its incidence. We describe the content and format of these prevention programs in general and examine selected programs for effectiveness. Although there is limited evidence for an increase in knowledge for program participants, most evaluations suffer from basic design problems and present few results indicative of either primary prevention or detection. Overall, we argue that self-protection against sexual abuse is a very complex process for any child and that few, if any, prevention programs are comprehensive enough to have a meaningful impact on this process. Finally, we discuss several untested assumptions that guide these programs. We conclude that it is unclear whether prevention programs are working or even that they are more beneficial than harmful. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Family and legal indicators of child adjustment to divorce among families with young children.

This research used structural equation modeling to examine relations among family dynamics, attorney involvement, and the adjustment of young children (0-6 years) at the time of parental separation. The article presents baseline data (N = 102 nonresidential fathers and N = 110 primary caretaking mothers) from a larger longitudinal study. Results showed that the effects of parental conflict on child outcomes were mediated by paternal involvement, the parent-child relationship, and attorney involvement. A scale assessing parental gatekeeping yielded two significant factors: Spouse's Influence on Parenting and Positive View of Spouse. Paternal involvement was related to children's adaptive behavior, whereas negative changes in parent-child relationships predicted behavior problems. Mothers who experienced greater psychological symptomatology were less likely to utilize an attorney, which in turn predicted greater internalizing problems in their children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Junk logic: The abuse defense in sexual harassment litigation.

Recently, some defense-oriented authorities have proposed that a history of childhood sexual abuse can be used to attack virtually every aspect of a sexual harassment claimant's case, including the issues of unwelcomeness, reasonableness, damages, and even credibility. The authors critiqued these claims, arguing that they are not only grounded in faulty logic and fallacious reasoning but furthermore ignore or distort the large body of data that contradict them. Using evidence from 2 empirical studies, they argued that there is no scientific evidence for the claims of the "abuse defense" and provided a discussion of the dangers it poses to the integrity of the scientific contribution to judicial decision making. They concluded by briefly describing an alternative to the traditional method of damages determination that circumvents some of its most regressive aspects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

What's wrong with believing in repression?: A review for legal professionals.

Some courts in recent years have tarnished their credibility by willingly and blindly adopting the theory of repressed memory. Such acceptance can destroy the reputations of falsely accused individuals, and, by failing to pay due attention to scientific evidence, gives credence to pseudoscience and demeans the scientific method. This paper was written to inform judges and attorneys about the relevant evidence, which shows that: (a) the concepts of repressed and recovered memory are not generally accepted in the psychological and psychiatric community; (b) the studies cited to support these concepts reveal significant flaws; (c) much empirical evidence has been accumulated against the theory of repression; (d) the studies using the best methodology offer the least support for the repression hypothesis; and (e) there is no evidence that recovered memories accurately reveal the specifics of long-ago events. Repressed- and recovered-memory theory is not supported by science. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Early and long-term effects of child sexual abuse: An update.

New research on the impact of child sexual abuse generally confirms the conclusions of an earlier review article by A. Browne and D. Finkelhor (see record 1986-14683-001) and extends findings into a few new areas. For example, more studies are now available concerning the impact of abuse on boys, but they have not found consistent gender differences. Some longitudinal studies have also been completed; they show a decline in symptomatology in the months following disclosure. Two areas of controversy are also prominent. One concerns how to explain the relatively substantial percentages of sexually abused children in most studies who have no symptoms on current diagnostic measures. The second concerns whether posttraumatic stress disorder is a useful conceptual framework for understanding the findings on the impact of sexual abuse. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)