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Girard M, Fernet M, Godbout N. "Like A Mouse Pursued By the Snake": A Qualitative Metasynthesis on the Experiences of Revictimization Among Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Partner Violence. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2024; 25:2407-2420. [PMID: 38049952 PMCID: PMC11155201 DOI: 10.1177/15248380231214783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
A metasynthesis was performed on 15 qualitative studies to document the experience of revictimization by an intimate partner among women, based on survivors' perspectives on their sustained childhood sexual abuse and intimate partner violence victimization. Results identified two main conceptual categories: (a) Barriers to action: A belief system reflecting learned helplessness that hinders women's abilities to protect themselves and prevent further abuses, and (b) Broken internal compass: Cognitive elements blurring women's risk evaluation capacities and reference points limiting their ability to break the cycle of revictimization. These findings support the need to examine cognitive distortions and false beliefs in intervention practices and suggest valuable guidelines for practitioners. As the responsibility for violence always lies with the perpetrator, this study should not be interpreted as blaming women for their victimization, but instead, as a way to give women a voice about their experiences and give them a sense of power in the prevention of violence.
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Guyon R, Fernet M, Couture S, Tardif M, Cousineau MM, Godbout N. "Finding My Worth as a Sexual Being": A Qualitative Gender Analysis of Sexual Self-Concept and Coping in Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2024; 53:341-357. [PMID: 37747584 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-023-02693-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is likely to have impacts on adult survivors' sexuality, particularly on their sexual self-concept. However, little is known about how survivors cope with CSA-related sexual impacts, including sexual self-concept impairments. Thus, this study aimed to examine the interplay between sexual self-concept and coping strategies in CSA survivors by (1) documenting the manifestations of their impaired sexual self-concepts; (2) identifying their strategies to cope with the sexual impacts of CSA; and (3) examining gender differences on sexual self-concept impairments and coping strategies. Content analysis was conducted on semi-structured interviews with 25 women and 26 men adult survivors of CSA recruited via social networks and victim support organizations. Analyses yielded three conceptual categories: (1) Developing an unconsolidated and unfavorable sexual self-concept following CSA; (2) Avoiding CSA-related sexual impacts and impaired sexual self-concept; (3) Approaching CSA-related sexual impacts with more authenticity. Men often managed their suffering and compensated for their impaired sexual self-concept by engaging in sexual dominance and over-investment, by accepting their sexual difficulties and relying on medication to overcome them. Women tended to restrict themselves and disconnect sexually to avoid suffering, complied with their partners' sexual demands out of a sense of duty, prioritized sexual intimacy over orgasm, and seek professional help. Interventions with survivors should promote the development of approach strategies to cope with sexual difficulties, including self-concept impairments, and foster sexual authenticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxanne Guyon
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences, Université Laval, Québec, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada.
| | - Mylène Fernet
- Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Stéphanie Couture
- Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Monique Tardif
- Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Natacha Godbout
- Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Rokach A, Clayton S. The Consequences of Child Abuse. Healthcare (Basel) 2023; 11:healthcare11111650. [PMID: 37297790 DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11111650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
This review provides an overview of the consequences of early adverse experiences across various domains of life. Drawing on the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) conceptual framework, we discuss the ACE pyramid and the varying degrees of consequences that ACE exposure may elicit. Using online search engines such as Google Scholar, the authors sifted through empirical research to locate relevant articles and research to help prepare this review. This article sheds light on the implications of ACEs for health, socio-emotional and psychosocial well-being, relationships, personality, and cognitive functioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ami Rokach
- Psychology Department., Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Shauna Clayton
- Department of Kinesiology and Health Science, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON M3J 1P3, Canada
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Pond R, Gillmore C, Blanchard N. Lived experiences of resilience for women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse: A systematic review of qualitative studies. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2023; 140:106152. [PMID: 37028256 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Child sexual abuse (CSA) can have detrimental, long-lasting consequences but effects are diverse, and resilience, or attainment of better-than-expected outcomes, is possible. OBJECTIVE This systematic review synthesises qualitative research findings about lived experiences of resilience processes used by women who had been subjected to CSA. METHODS A comprehensive search was undertaken of major and minor article databases (e.g., PsychInfo, Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus) and Google Scholar, with hand searching of reference lists and forward searching of retrieved articles. Eight studies met the inclusion criteria (peer-reviewed qualitative or mixed methods studies written in English about experiences of resilience by women who had experienced CSA). Data extraction, quality appraisal, and thematic analysis were performed. RESULTS Thematic analysis generated several process-related resilience themes: distancing oneself from sexual abuse; building healthy interpersonal, community, and cultural connections; drawing on spiritual belief systems; reframing the sexual abuse; placing blame with the perpetrator; reclaiming self-worth; taking control of one's life; and pursuing meaningful goals. For some, it involved forgiveness of self and others, reclaiming one's sexuality, and/or fighting against diverse forms of oppression. There was much evidence that resilience was a dynamic, personal and social-ecological phenomenon. CONCLUSION Counsellors and other professionals can use these findings to help women affected by CSA explore, develop, and strengthen factors that support resilience. Future research could explore the experiences of resilience for women with different cultural backgrounds, socioeconomic status, religious and/or spiritual affiliations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael Pond
- Institute of Education, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
| | - Christina Gillmore
- Institute of Education, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
| | - Nan Blanchard
- Institute of Education, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
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Schneiderman JU, Mennen FE, Palmer Molina AC, Cederbaum JA. Adults with a child maltreatment history: Narratives describing individual strengths that promote positive wellbeing. CHILD ABUSE & NEGLECT 2023; 139:106133. [PMID: 36921502 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Child maltreatment often has negative impacts, but some individuals have strengths that lead to better outcomes. OBJECTIVE Describe the narratives of adults who experienced childhood maltreatment, all of whom had positive psychosocial wellbeing at average age 18 years. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING A purposive sample of 21 adults (mean age 27.8 years SD = 1.0) who were part of a longitudinal study on the effects of childhood maltreatment. The sample was self-described as 85.7 % female, 14.3 % male, 42.9 % Black, 33.3 % Latinx, 19.0 % White, and 4.8 % multiracial. METHODS This descriptive qualitative study, which is part of a sequential mixed method study, used semi-structured interviews and a narrative analysis approach. Four coders completed: (1) initial reading of sample interviews (2) generating codes independently and discussion, (3) creating a codebook, (4) reviewing 10-11 transcripts each (5) reconvening to discuss/resolve differences in coding, (6) identifying themes. RESULTS There were four themes. The first theme was seeing oneself in a good light, highlighting self-worth and helper roles. The second theme, moving forward, included letting go of their past and a future orientation. Coping with life, the third theme, included boundaries for people around them, routines, and self-sufficiency. Meaning making, the fourth theme, included insights on the effect of their maltreatment and foster care, and reflections on appreciating life and adapting to changing circumstances. CONCLUSIONS Findings describe varied strengths that promote positive functioning after childhood maltreatment. Study themes highlight how these strengths allow adults to make meaning of their experiences and move forward successfully in life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet U Schneiderman
- University of Southern California, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, 669 W. 34th Street, MRF 214, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| | - Ferol E Mennen
- University of Southern California, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, 669 W. 34th Street, MRF 214, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
| | | | - Julie A Cederbaum
- University of Southern California, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, 669 W. 34th Street, MRF 214, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA.
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Amo-Adjei J, Deliege A, Nurzhynska A, Essuman R, Khan MR. A Vignettes-Based Exploration of Attitudes of Parents Toward Reporting of Child Sexual Abuse in Ghana. JOURNAL OF INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE 2023; 38:6138-6166. [PMID: 36213952 DOI: 10.1177/08862605221127215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Reporting child sexual abuse (CSA) to law enforcement institutions is the ideal child protection imperative. The role of parents in this process is unquestionably profound. Yet, there is limited evidence on parental perspectives on reporting CSA to law enforcement agencies in developing country contexts. We apply vignettes to describe the views of parents about reporting CSA perpetrated by "family members, schoolteachers, and strangers." Data was collected from 89 parents from four culturally diverse regions of Ghana. A systematic inductive approach was used to determine patterns and similarities in participants' attitudes toward reporting. We note that the attitudes of participants about reporting CSA varied considerably; these are influenced by the nature of social relationships between the victim and perpetrator. In a seeming order of severity, CSA perpetrated by a family member was viewed less seriously compared to victimization by a teacher or a stranger. The desire to preserve familial/kin ties and reputation and keeping to the cultural heritage of resolving "disputes and disagreements" amicably were primary norms against reporting CSA. However, attitudes toward reporting CSA by teachers were influenced by expectation of higher moral standards, which made reporting CSA by a teacher a reasonable cause of action. Positive attitudes toward reporting CSA by "strangers" were prevalent. Child protection programs must recognzse the segmented attitudes toward CSA and tackle the deep-seated cultural and social norms through social and behavioral change communication (SBCC).
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Lanza T, Levand MA. Ignored Components of Sexuality: The Need for Competent Clinical Practice with Child Survivors of Sexual Abuse. JOURNAL OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE 2023; 32:164-183. [PMID: 36650672 DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2023.2166886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a complex and often traumatic experience that can impact youth's emotional and psychological well-being. Many clinicians do not feel adequately prepared to work with youth around topics of sexuality. In this qualitative study, we examine how licensed therapists treat youth between ages 5 and 16 who have experienced CSA. We asked participants how they incorporate sexuality into trauma work with this population. Although all participants discussed themes commonly reported in clinical work with survivors (i.e., working on trust, self-image challenges, the brain-body connection, confusion around touch and boundaries) additional themes arose that could impede the provision of sexually-competent treatment for the survivor including: considerations for gender identity and sexual orientation, youth being sexually invisible until puberty, and an inaccurate/narrow use of the term "sexuality." We discuss the need for further training on youth sexual development and the ways youth experience the many topics within the concept of sexuality in their therapeutic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffini Lanza
- Maverique Therapeutic Services, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Mark A Levand
- Center for Human Sexuality Studies, Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
- University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, USA
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Watters ER, Aloe AM, Wojciak AS. Examining the Associations Between Childhood Trauma, Resilience, and Depression: A Multivariate Meta-Analysis. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2023; 24:231-244. [PMID: 34313169 DOI: 10.1177/15248380211029397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
TOPIC OF REVIEW Childhood trauma has been associated with increased depression; however, resilience has been found to reduce this association. METHOD OF REVIEW Present analyses were based on multivariate meta-analytical techniques, an extension of univariate meta-analysis. All computations were performed using the metafor package and the metaRmat package from R. Bivariate associations (r) between trauma, resilience, and depression were utilized as the pooled effect sizes. CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, articles were coded based on the following inclusion criteria: (a) sample participants had a history of childhood trauma; (b) studies included one of the four instruments of trait resilience; (c) studies included measures of individual outcomes of depression; (d) studies were published in peer-reviewed journals, dissertations, book chapters since 2009, or provided by leading scholars who had yet to publish their data; (e) all manuscripts were written in English; and (f) studies included the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient (r) for the effect size. CRITERIA FOR REVIEW We systematically coded for the following items for each study: year of publication, type of report, peer-reviewed, funding, sampling strategy, sample size, gender, mean age, country of study, measure of resilience, measure depression, and measure of childhood trauma. MAJOR FINDINGS The pooled correlations indicate that trauma, resilience, and depression are significantly associated. There were no significant differences in symptoms of depression for high versus low reports of resilience for individuals with a history of trauma. Year of publication was a significant moderator for the associations between trauma, resilience, and depression. Resilience significantly mediated the association between trauma and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Watters
- Department of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations, University of Iowa, IA, USA
| | - Ariel M Aloe
- Department of Psychological and Quantitative Foundations, University of Iowa, IA, USA
| | - Armeda S Wojciak
- Department of Family Social Sciences, University of Minnesota, MN, USA
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Walker-Williams HJ, Fouché A. Resilience enabling processes and posttraumatic growth outcomes in a group of women survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Health SA 2018; 23:1134. [PMID: 31934390 PMCID: PMC6917442 DOI: 10.4102/hsag.v23i0.1134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background This study forms part of a pilot project, aiming to evaluate the benefits of a programme entitled S2T denoting from Survivor to Thriver, which is a collaborative strengths-based group intervention programme for women survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The objective of the S2T is to enable resilience processes and facilitate posttraumatic growth outcomes. A theory of change was developed to explain how these objectives are met, it outlines the theoretical approach, mediators, primary and secondary outcomes. Aim To explore emerging resilience processes and posttraumatic growth outcomes in women survivors of childhood sexual abuse after attending the S2T. Setting Data was collected during group treatment sessions of the S2T group intervention programme with women survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Methods A quasi-experimental, one group, pretest, posttest, time-delay design was used with eight purposively selected women with a history of childhood sexual abuse, using qualitative methods to evaluate the benefit of this intervention. Nine group treatment sessions and a delayed follow-up session were conducted. A visual participatory technique and transcriptions of group sessions were used to collect qualitative data. Results Qualitative thematic analysis revealed the following enabling resilience processes: group as healing vehicle of change; changing destructive to constructive rumination; coping strengths and meaning-making. Posttraumatic growth outcomes which evolved were: transforming wounded to healer; a changed life philosophy; excavated spirituality and re-briefing strengths through a posttrauma thriver identity. Conclusions The themes suggest resilience processes and posttraumatic growth outcomes; a longitudinal study is recommended to establish effectiveness and inform treatment practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayley J Walker-Williams
- School of Psychosocial Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, South Africa
| | - Ansie Fouché
- School of Psychosocial Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Optentia Research Focus Area, North-West University, South Africa
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