Pragmatic-communicative intervention strategies for victims of child abuse

Abstract

This article focuses on the need to continue progressing in the methodological and technical aspects of linguistic interventions with children who are victims of child abuse, so as to provide useful resources for professional practice. Language disorders in child abuse victims are areas of special interest, both for its negative consequences for the children and their involvement on a social level and their interpersonal adaptation. 21 children in residential care, between 8 and 12 years of age, participated in this study. A pragmatic-communicative intervention program, aimed at developing functional skills that allow the children to communicate effectively, is implemented. It aims to encourage the children's capacity for taking initiatives and creating conversational spontaneity. To do so, the conversational skills of making requests, narrative discourse and abstract and figurative language are all worked on, in order to incorporate these resources into the children's natural contexts. The pre-test/post-test evaluation of the children confirms the effectiveness of the intervention in victims of child abuse. ►Different studies provide evidence of language disorders in victims of child abuse. ►A pragmatic-communicative intervention program aimed at the victims is developed. ►Conversational skills, narrative discourse and abstract language are worked on. ►The study provides useful intervention strategies for professional practice. ►The pre-test/post-test evaluation confirms the effectiveness of the intervention.