Making child abuse victims aware of their victimization: a treatment issue.
Recent research has identified abuse victims who lack a perception of themselves as having been abused. It is common among professionals to heighten the awareness of abuse victims as either a goal or a byproduct of the investigation-treatment process. Implications of this practice are explored in light of knowledge regarding psychological aftereffects of abuse, particularly in relation to the self-image of the victim. Guidelines are suggested for when it may be advisable to heighten awareness during treatment, and when it should be avoided.
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001364:Awareness; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse; D005196:Family Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012649:Self Concept; D014754:Violence