The structure of the psychological consequences of sexual violence and abuse against children and adolescents

Abstract

The results of the joint psychiatric-psychological examination of 175 victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) are presented. A complex of methods and techniques was used, including semi-structured interview for detection of posttraumatic stress in children, inventories for quality of life and maladjustment assessment, a battery of methods applied in the forensic psychiatric-psychological expertise, statistical methods. In the framework of the clinical and psychological (non-clinical) levels psychological consequences of CSA in accordance with the psychic state of victims were revealed. 4 groups of consequences with different intensity are described: psychogenic state in form of disorder (1) and psychogenic state in form of reaction (2) (clinical level); unfavorable psychological state (3) and minimally unfavorable state (4) (psychological level). It was stated that the more severe is the victim’s psychic disturbance, from minimally unfavorable to psychic disorder, the broader is the range of psychological, personality spheres involved the bigger is the number and the intensity of symptoms of posttraumatic reactions. Psychological consequences displayed by mentally healthy victims of CSA indicate, though, their quality of life impairment.

Keywords

• child abuse; child sexual abuse (CSA); victims of child sexual abuse; psychological consequences of child sexual abuse