Emotional support and adjustment over a year's time following sexual abuse discovery.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated age and gender differences in perceived emotional support in children and adolescents who experienced sexual abuse from the time of discovery to 1 year later. Also examined were the relations among sources of support and adjustment and whether support explained resilience, defined as better adjustment over a year's time.


METHODS
One hundred and forty-seven sexually abused youth were interviewed at the time of discovery (T1) and 1 year later (T2). Information gathered included severity of the sexual abuse, satisfaction with support from caregivers, same-sex and other-sex friends, feelings of shame about the abuse, and attributional style. Youth adjustment was measured using reports from the youth themselves, caregivers, and teachers.


RESULTS
Children reported the most satisfaction with support from caregivers followed by friends whereas adolescents reported similar levels of support from friends and caregivers. Satisfaction with support was differentially related to adjustment. Youth who reported more satisfaction with caregiver support at T1, reported less depression, better self-esteem but more sexual anxiety 1 year later. More satisfaction with support from friends predicted lower self-esteem but less sexual anxiety. More satisfaction with initial caregiver support at T1 predicted better parent- and teacher-rated adjustment 1 year later, after controlling for initial adjustment.


CONCLUSIONS
In general, initial caregiver emotional support at the time of abuse discovery predicted resilience in child and adolescent victims of sexual abuse. Findings suggested that treatment should include a focus on helping caregivers provide appropriate emotional support.
Rosenthal
Saul
S
Behavioral Medicine, Cambridge Health Alliance, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Feiring
Candice
C
Taska
Lynn
L
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D033062:Friends / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology; D014481:United States