Intra-Familial Child Sexual Abuse: A Case Study of the Lifeline Method in Narrative Exposure Therapy

Abstract

Child sexual abuse is widely acknowledged as a global public health problem causing serious human suffering for children. Research data indicates that children abused by a family member often delay disclosing the incident. Abused children have feelings of guilt and shame and they worry about the consequences to the family. The aim of the case study was to research how the Lifeline method in Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) works in the treatment of a 19 years old adolescent for PTSD symptoms due to having been sexually abused by her father in her childhood. This qualitative case study concentrated on the use of the Lifeline method by reviewing childhood sexual abuse using NET. There were eleven sessions recorded, in total 940 minutes. Changes in the adolescent’s thoughts of responsibility were measured with the responsibility pie chart and her reasoning about the chart was analyzed. The case study indicates that repeating the Lifeline method’s open question: “what happened next?” numerous times in NET helped the adolescent to open and disclose new painful memories and intensive feelings. It also helped her to talk about childhood abuse and decreased her avoidance behavior. Feelings of being partly responsible for the sexual abuse changed during the therapy and reduced her feelings of shame, guilt and self-blame.