title: Adult adjustment of survivors of institutional child abuse in Ireland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document the adult adjustment of survivors of childhood institutional abuse.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and forty-seven adult survivors of institutional abuse with a mean age of 60 were interviewed with a protocol that included the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, modules from the Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I Disorders of DSM IV and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Personality Disorders, the Trauma Symptom Inventory, and the Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of psychological disorders among adult survivors of institutional abuse was over 80% and far higher than in the normal population, with anxiety, mood and substance use disorders being the most prevalent diagnoses. Survivors also had high rates of trauma symptoms and insecure adult attachment styles, and these were higher for those who had experienced both institutional and intrafamilial abuse.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was an association between the experience of institutional abuse in childhood and the prevalence of adult mental health problems, particularly anxiety, mood and substance use disorders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Policies, practices and procedures should be regularly reviewed and revised to maximize protection of young people in institutional care. Evidence-based psychological treatment should be made available to adult survivors of institutional abuse.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fitzpatrick
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Edel
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Flanagan
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Roisin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Flanagan-Howard
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tierney
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: White
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daly
authors.affiliation: The Arches National Counselling Centre, HSE, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Egan
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires