Adult adjustment of survivors of institutional child abuse in Ireland.
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.
Carr
Alan
A
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Dooley
Barbara
B
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Fitzpatrick
Mark
M
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Flanagan
Edel
E
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Flanagan-Howard
Roisin
R
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Tierney
Kevin
K
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
White
Megan
M
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Daly
Margaret
M
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
Egan
Jonathan
J
The Arches National Counselling Centre, HSE, Tullamore, Co. Offaly, Ireland.
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