Cognitive behavioral group therapy for sexually abused girls.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of a cognitive behavioral group therapy model among female children and adolescents victims of sexual abuse.


METHODS
A non-randomized study with intragroup comparisons over time was carried out. Female children and teenagers from nine to 16 years of age (N=40) were clinically assessed in three individual meetings in the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil, between 2006 and 2008. The group therapy comprised 16 semi-structured sessions. Psychological instruments were applied to investigate symptoms of anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, child stress, beliefs and perception of the abuse experience before, during and after the intervention. The results were analyzed through statistical tests for repeated measures. A comparative analysis was carried out with the results of the pretest between the groups that received group psychotherapy immediately after the sexual abuse was reported and those who were waiting for psychological support.


RESULTS
The assessment of the impact of the intervention revealed that cognitive behavioral group therapy significantly reduced symptoms of depression, anxiety, child stress and post-traumatic stress disorder. In addition, the intervention enabled the participants to modify beliefs of guilt, low degrees of trust and credibility, and was effective in reducing psychological symptoms and changing distorted beliefs and perception in regard to the abuse.


CONCLUSIONS
Cognitive behavioral group therapy was effective in reducing psychological symptoms in sexually abused girls.
Habigzang
Luísa Fernanda
LF
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia, Instituto de Psicologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. luisa.h@terra.com.br
Stroeher
Fernanda Helena
FH
Hatzenberger
Roberta
R
Cunha
Rafaela Cassol
RC
Ramos
Michele da Silva
Mda S
Koller
Sílvia Helena
SH
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D012008:Recurrence; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome