Intrafamilial sexual abuse: family-of-origin and family-of-procreation characteristics of female adult victims.
We examined connections between incest victims' family-of-origin and family-of-procreation characteristics in a sample of 40 American women who were in treatment for childhood or adolescent experiences of victimization. Retrospective data on their families-of-origin were collected along with their perceptions of current relationships with family members in the three-generational system. Results showed a close association between family-of-origin and family-of-procreation characteristics, especially in the areas of intergenerational intimacy, intergenerational fusion/individuation, and personal authority. A number of significant correlations were also found between subjects' past and present relationships with family-of-origin members and the dimensions of moral and religious orientation, achievement, and intellectual and cultural orientation, conflict, and control in their family-of-procreation. Some aspects of individual adjustment, including alienation, emotional discomfort, and defensiveness, were strongly related to various family-of-origin and family-of-procreation characteristics.
Carson
D K
DK
Department of Home Economics, University of Wyoming.
Gertz
L M
LM
Donaldson
M A
MA
Wonderlich
S A
SA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007179:Incest / Q000523:psychology*; D007207:Individuation; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012931:Social Environment