The Effects of Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse on the Adjustment and Attitudes of Adolescents

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare female adolescent victims of sexual abuse and their nonabused adolescent sisters with matched nonvictim control subject sister sets on measures of personality adjustment and attitudes. The study involved 60 girls between the ages of 11 and 21: 15 victims of child sexual abuse, 15 nonabused adolescent sisters, and 15 nonvictim control sisters sets who were matched to the victim sister sets on age, socioeconomic status, birth order of daugthers, number of children in family, and race. This is the first study that has attempted to assess the adjustment of siblings in sexually abusive families. Results of a multivariate analysis of variance revealed no differences among the four groups. Results of 12 paired t-tests revealed only one significant difference between the victim sister and control sister groups. These unexpected findings are discussed, and suggestions for future studies are made.