Development and initial validation of the institutional child abuse processes and coping inventory among a sample of Irish adult survivors of institutional abuse.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a psychometric instrument to evaluate psychological processes associated with institutional abuse and coping strategies used to deal with such abuse.


METHODS
As part of a comprehensive assessment protocol, an inventory containing theoretically derived multi-item rational scales which assessed institutional abuse-related psychological processes and coping strategies were administered to 247 Irish adult survivors of institutional child abuse. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to derive 6-factor scales, the reliability and validity of which were assessed.


RESULTS
Factor scales to assess the following constructs were developed (1) traumatization, (2) re-enactment, (3) spiritual disengagement, (4) positive coping, (5) coping by complying, and (6) avoidant coping. There were varying degrees of support for the validity of the scales with most support for the traumatization and re-enactment scales.


CONCLUSIONS
The Institutional Child Abuse Processes and Coping Inventory (ICAPCI), particularly its traumatization and re-enactment scales, may be used in future research on adult survivors of institutional child abuse because they are currently the only scales that have been developed with this population to provide reliable and valid assessments of these constructs.


CONCLUSIONS
The ICAPCI may be used, cautiously, to assess adult survivors of institutional child abuse.
Flanagan-Howard
Roisin
R
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Carr
Alan
A
Shevlin
Mark
M
Dooley
Barbara
B
Fitzpatrick
Mark
M
Flanagan
Edel
E
Tierney
Kevin
K
White
Megan
M
Daly
Margaret
M
Egan
Jonathan
J
D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D002674:Child, Institutionalized / Q000523:psychology*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007494:Ireland; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D029181:Spirituality; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology