title: Psychiatric disorders in sexually abused children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to compare the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a clinical sample of sexually abused children referred for outpatient evaluation. Two a priori hypotheses were tested: (1) the sexually abused group would have more post-traumatic stress disorder than the non-sexually abused group and (2) non-sexually abused children referred for evaluation would have more diagnoses than the sexually abused group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six sexually abused children and 23 non-sexually abused children referred for psychiatric outpatient evaluation at a medical school center were matched by age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status and compared to determine differences in prevalence of Axis I, DSM-III-R disorders. The Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Epidemiologic Version was used for systematic diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Groups did not differ significantly in the number of diagnoses and, in both groups, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder was the most frequent diagnosis. However, the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder among sexually abused children was significantly greater (p < .02), with 42.3% of sexually abused children and 8.7% of non-sexually abused children meeting full criteria. There were no significant differences between groups in other diagnostic categories.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study, using structured interviews and comparison groups, confirmed earlier findings suggesting that sexually abused children are at heightened risk for the development of post-traumatic stress disorder.
authors.affiliation: Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Medical College of Pennsylvania/Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, Philadelphia 19129.
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: McLeer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Callaghan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wallen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology