Suchergebnisse

Although many articles advocate treatment for child victims of sexual abuse, few studies have examined the effects of such treatment. The authors evaluated the effectiveness of group treatment for seven- to nine-year-old girls who had been sexually abused. The usefulness of parent-report and self-report measures in assessing therapeutic change was also examined. Findings support the hypothesis that group treatment decreases problem behaviors as reported by parents. The findings of the self-report data, however, were inconsistent. Implications for the measurement of therapeutic change in young sexually abused children are discussed.

Group treatment programs are a common intervention for children who have been sexually abused. However, empirical literature demonstrating their effectiveness, particularly among preadolescent males, is scarce. The authors evaluated the effectiveness of semistructured group work with six preadolescent boys who had experienced either extra- or intrafamilial sexual abuse. From pre- to postgroup, the boys experienced decreased anxiety, decreased depression, increased self-esteem, and decreased internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Further gains were generally observed from postgroup to follow-up. The success of the group-treatment program is attributed, in part, to the implementation of a reward program designed to reduce disruptive behavior.