Maternal variables related to sexually abused children's functioning.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore how mothers' developmental history and current functioning affects their sexually abused children's functioning and recovery.


METHODS
A sample of 67 African-American mothers and their sexually abused children participated in this study. Interviews and a range of adult and child measures were administered in order to assess maternal developmental history and current functioning, and child functioning.


RESULTS
Mothers' past experiences as children were associated with their children's behavior and general functioning following the sexual abuse. Mothers who experienced more discontinuity of childhood care, who were sexually abused as children, and/or had more problems in their family of origin had children who showed poorer functioning and more behavioral symptomatology. In addition, mothers who currently were experiencing more trauma symptomatology, reported substance abuse, and/or were less able to provide support to their children, had children with more behavior problems and poorer functioning.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from this study point to the impact of mothers' developmental history and current functioning upon the symptomatology of their sexually abused children.
Paredes
M
M
Illinois School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, USA.
Leifer
M
M
Kilbane
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016901:Intergenerational Relations; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010553:Personality Development; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology; D014504:Urban Health