title: Prevalence of Sexual Abuse in Childhood: Some Critical Methodological Reflections.
abstract: This article attempts to analyze the prevalence rates of sexual abuse in childhood reported in comparative empirical studies, giving an overview of a selection of representative studies reporting high rates of abuse and comparing it to an overview of studies reporting lower rates. Extremely discrepant rates of childhood sexual abuse are reported in a number of empirical studies conducted in this field over the past 26 years, particularly those looking beyond prevalence to study the links between this type of trauma and future motherhood. To shed light on the disparities in the reported prevalence rates, the article reviews the principal methodological biases that have contaminated the findings. The authors then offer several suggestions for improvement that might be implemented in future studies.
authors.affiliation: a University of Lorraine , Nancy , France.
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Tychey
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.forename: Joelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lighezzolo-Alnot
authors.forename: Salomé
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garnier
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vandelet
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: aggression; child; methodological biases; research recommendations