Child Physical and Sexual Abuse: Guidelines for Treatment

Abstract

The primary purpose of this project was to encourage the use of mental health treatment protocols and procedures that have a sound theoretical basis, a good clinical-anecdotal literature, high acceptance among practitioners in the child abuse field, a low chance for causing harm, and empirical support for their utility with victims of abuse. To accomplish this purpose, practitioners in the field need easily accessible information about available treatments, and direction concerning appropriate treatment methods for the child victims with whom they work. These Guidelines seek to present the best available information about the mental health treatment of cases of physical and sexual abuse in a concise and consistent format that can be easily used by practitioners and other interested professionals. The Guidelines are not intended to be an exhaustive and comprehensive guide to all of the treatment modalities that have been used with abused children. Rather, the Guidelines seek to cover the most common approaches, the protocols with the most empirical support, theoretically sound and promising treatments that may not have been tested empirically, and some practices that raise concern. The Guidelines can be used to identify first choice treatments, i.e., those that have empirical support for their efficacy; other treatments with strong clinical and theoretical support and wide acceptance within the field; novel and innovative treatments that may be used with caution; and other interventions that lack empirical, clinical or theoretical support, should be considered experimental or even potentially dangerous, and should not be used. By providing practitioners with clear and succinct information and directions for how to obtain more detailed knowledge, they will be better equipped to work with these child abuse victims and their families.