Childhood sexual abuse. Women's health when starting in group therapy.
Childhood sexual abuse has been shown to be common among adult women, 15-30% in prevalence studies, and among mentally ill women, 25-77%. These women often suffer from depression, anxiety, sexual and relationship problems. Suicide attempts and self-destructive behaviour are common. Within the Department of Psychiatry at Lund University Hospital, 45 women with experiences of childhood sexual abuse were offered a 2-year-long trauma-focused group therapy. They were well educated but 27% were unemployed. Nearly half of the group had made suicide attempts, 87% had had suicidal thoughts and, according to the questionnaire SCL-90, they were suffering from psychiatric symptoms significantly to a greater degree than both a general group and a clinical group with mixed diagnoses. According to the questionnaire ISSI, they were less well socially integrated than both a general group and a clinical group, and the degree of social adjustment according to the questionnaire SAS-SR was lower than in a general group. The study shows that childhood sexually abused women seeking therapy are a symptom-burdened group. These women probably need psychiatric treatment of a particular character. Special group therapy for these women can potentially improve their health.
Psykiatrisk Oppenvard, St. Södergatan 47, Lund, Sweden. gunilla.lundqvist@skane.se
Gunilla
G
Lundqvist
Carl Göran
CG
Svedin
Kjell
K
Hansson
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health