Links between sexual abuse in childhood and behavioural disorders in adolescent girls: A multivariate approach.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to assess the links between adolescent behavioural problems and sexual abuse in childhood. Besides a control group (N = 181), two clinical groups are tested, one presenting sexual behavioural problems (N = 62) and the other behavioural problems of a non-sexual nature (N = 107). The methodology is retrospective, using a set of questionnaires defining variables such as sexual abuse and its features, aspects of parent-child relationships, sociodemographic characteristics, etc. Multivariate analysis results show many links between behavioural disorders during adolescence and sexual abuse during childhood. Specifically, the girls having disclosed sexual abuse and belonging to the clinical groups are associated with frequent abuse, with penetration, perpetrated by a male and when the child was older, while the abuse revealed in the control group was less frequent, involved fondling only and occurred at an earlier age. Considering the clinical groups alone, sexually related behavioural disorders are associated with high frequency, severity, an adolescent abuser and a reaction of fear. (Abstract Adapted from Source: Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 1994. Copyright © 1994 by the Canadian Psychological Association) Juvenile Behavior Juvenile Female Juvenile Problem Behavior Behavior Causes Female Victim Female Behavior Child Abuse Effects Child Abuse Victim Child Abuse-Behavior Link Child Female Child Sexual Abuse Effects Child Sexual Abuse Victim Sexual Assault Victim Sexual Assault Effects Childhood Experience Childhood Victimization 02-02