Factors Associated with Disclosure During Child Sexual Abuse Assessment

Abstract

ABSTRACT The relationship among the eliciting stimulus for disclosure of sexual abuse, the age and gender of the child and the type of sexual abuse reported by the child was investigated. The sample included 96 children, between 3 and 17 years of age. All of the subjects were in foster care placement at the time of assessment and were referred due to suspicion of sexual abuse or a previous disclosure by the subject or another person. The results indicated that close to two-thirds of the subjects disclosed at least one type of sexual abuse, with almost 40% of those who hadn't previously disclosed disclosing for the first time. Fondling, physical abuse, genital penetration, and touching the offender were found to be the most frequently disclosed types of sexual abuse. “Personal history,” “interview/worst experience,” were the most effective stimuli in eliciting disclosure. A number of significant differential effects due to age, gender and diagnosed disorder of the subject were found on the eliciting stimuli and/or types of sexual abuse disclosed. Implications of the findings for the practice of child sexual abuse assessment are discussed.