Convergence and divergence in reports of maternal support following childhood sexual abuse: prevalence and associations with youth psychosocial adjustment.
This study examined the convergence and divergence in mothers' and children's reports of maternal support following disclosures of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). One hundred and twenty mothers and their children (ages 7-17 years) reported on two aspects of support following CSA disclosures: mothers' belief in the child's disclosure and parent-child discussion of the abuse incident. Whereas 62% of mothers' and children's reports on mothers' belief of the disclosure positively converged (i.e., both reported that mothers "completely believed" the child's disclosure), 37% of mothers' and children's reports diverged, and the remaining 1% negatively converged (i.e., both reported that the mother only believed the child "somewhat"). Positively convergent responses were associated with youths' lower risk for tobacco and illicit drug use. Forty-four percent of mothers' and children's reports on whether details of the CSA were discussed positively converged (i.e., both reported that details were discussed), 33% diverged, and 23% negatively converged (i.e., both reported that details were not discussed). Relative to other patterns of reporting, negatively convergent responses were associated with higher levels of trauma symptoms. Findings have implications for identifying high-risk mother-child dyads based on patterns of informant reporting following CSA.
Boston Children's Hospital, USA; Harvard Medical School, USA.
Johanna
J
Bick
Family Services Research Center, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, USA.
Kristyn
K
Zajac
Lowcountry Children's Center, USA.
M Elizabeth
ME
Ralston
National Crime Victims Research & Treatment Center, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, USA.
Daniel
D
Smith
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D015144:Southeastern United States; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
Childhood sexual abuse; Maternal support; Parent–child report