Differences between sexually abused and non-sexually abused adolescent girls in foster care.
This descriptive study examines the differences between sexually abused and non-sexually abused adolescent females in the foster care system who were participating in an independent living program. Fifty-four percent of the 190 girls met the criteria for being categorized as sexually abused. Those who experienced sexual abuse had also experienced significantly more of other types of child maltreatment. In addition, those who had been sexually abused were much more likely to be living in a congregate living setting, such as a group home or residential center, than those who were not sexually abused. The girls who had been sexually abused exhibited significantly more behavioral difficulties, including internalizing and externalizing problems, with 51% of them having clinically significant scores on the Youth Self-Report version of the Child Behavior Checklist. When co-occurrence of substance use and mental health problems were examined, sexually abused girls were significantly more likely than the non-sexually abused girls to meet the established criteria.
Edmond
Tonya
T
Comorbidity and Addictions Center, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, Campus Box 1196, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA. tee1@gwbmail.wustl.edu
Auslander
Wendy
W
Elze
Diane E
DE
McMillen
Curtis
C
Thompson
Ronald
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual; D005260:Female; D005581:Foster Home Care; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012647:Self-Assessment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States