Group therapy for survivors of childhood sexual abuse who are severely and persistently mentally ill*1

Abstract

Background : Few researchers have investigated the effectiveness of long-term group psychotherapy with women who have a core issue of childhood sexual abuse, particularly those who are designated as being severely and persistently mentally ill (SPMI). Women so labeled are usually treated within a biological framework. Medications and supportive care are often the preferred therapies, denying the necessity of dealing with past traumatic issues. Objectives : The objective of this pilot study was to determine the outcome of long-term, time-limited group therapy with women designated as SPMI. The study addressed rate of improvement in symptomatology and self-esteem scores in women who are SPMI and those not designated SPMI. Study Design : A quasi-experimental design was used. The sample (N = 72) consisted of women older than 18 years who were sexually abused as children. The experimental group was made up of women labeled SPMI (n = 13), and the control group was composed of those who had not been designated SPMI (n = 59). The intervention consisted of 50 weeks of group therapy using a family systems model. The instruments, which included the Beck Depression Inventory, the Symptom Check List-90-Revised, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, were administered at sessions 1 and 50. Results : Results indicated that women labeled SPMI had lower self-esteem and higher symptomatology scores before receiving the group therapy, but both groups achieved comparable improvement in scores at the end of 50 weeks of group therapy. Conclusion : The results indicated that women labeled as SPMI could benefit from group therapy that addressed the core issue of childhood sexual trauma.