title: Efficacy of a group intervention for adult women survivors of sexual abuse.
abstract: This study evaluates the effects of a group intervention for women sexually abused in childhood or adulthood. The sample consisted of 41 women involved in a group intervention based on a feminist approach offered by help centers for sexual assault victims in Quebec and 11 women in a wait-list comparison group. Results reveal that the group intervention reduced psychological distress and consequences associated with sexual abuse and that gains were maintained at three-month follow- up. Analyses of potential factors related to differential gains indicated that abuse-related variables and concurrent individual interventions were not linked to outcomes. Exploratory analyses suggested that women experiencing severe physical partner violence showed greater gains with respect to self-blame/stigmatization, sexual anxiety, and anxiety related to assertiveness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sexology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal Québec, Canada. hebert.m@uqam.ca
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hébert
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bergeron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D011792:Quebec; D012649:Self Concept; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome