This study evaluated treatment outcome for 49 recently sexually abused children aged 7-14, who were randomly assigned to receive either sexual abuse-specific cognitive behavioral therapy (SAS-CBT) or nondirective supportive therapy (NST). Respondents and their nonoffending parent were provided with 12 individual treatment sessions, which were closely monitored for adherence to the assigned treatment modality. Participants and parents completed several standardized assessment instruments pre- and posttreatment. Results indicated that there was a significant group-by-time interaction on the Children's Depression Inventory and the Child Behavior Checklist Social Competence Scale, with the SAS-CBT group improving more than the NST group on both of these instruments. Clinical findings also suggested that SAS-CBT was more effective than NST in treating sexually inappropriate behaviors. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Achenbach, T.M.
, & Edelbrock, C. S. (1983). Manual for the Child Behavior Checklist and Revised Child Behavior Profile. Burlington: University of Vermont, Department of Psychiatry.
2.
Ammerman, R. T.
, & Hersen, M. (1993). Handbook of behavior therapy with children and adults: A developmental and longitudinal perspective. Des Moines, IA: Allyn & Bacon.
3.
Benedek, E.
(1985). Children and psychic trauma: A brief review of contemporary thinking. In S. Eth & R. S. Pynoos (Eds.), Post-traumatic stress disorder in children (pp. 1-16). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.
4.
Berliner, L.
(in press). Intervention with children who experience trauma. In D. Cicchetti & S. Toth (Eds.), The effects of trauma and the developmental process. New York: John Wiley.
5.
Berliner, L.
, & Saunders, B. (1996). Treating fear and anxiety in sexually abused children: Results of a controlled 2-year follow-up study. Child Maltreatment, 1(4), 294-309.
6.
Cohen, J. A.
, & Mannarino, A. P. (1996a). Factors that mediate treatment outcome in sexually abused preschool children. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35(10), 1402-1410.
7.
Cohen, J. A.
, & Mannarino, A. P. (1996b). A treatment outcome study for sexually abused preschoolers: Initial findings. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 35(1), 42-50.
8.
Cohen, J. A.
, & Mannarino, A. P. (1997). A treatment study for sexually abused preschool children: Outcome during a one year follow-up. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 36(9), 1228-1235.
9.
Cohen, J. A.
, & Mannarino, A. P. (in press-a). Factors that mediate treatment outcome of sexually abused preschoolers: Six and twelve month follow-ups. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
10.
Cohen, J. A.
, & Mannarino, A. P. (in press-b). A treatment study of sexually abused preschool children: Outcome during one year follow-up. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
11.
Conte, J. R.
, Fogarty, L., & Collins, M. E. (1991). National survey of professional practice in child sexual abuse. Journal of Family Violence, 6(2), 149-166.
12.
Deblinger, E.
, Lippman, J., & Steer, R. (1996). Sexually abused children suffering posttraumatic stress symptoms: Initial treatment outcome findings. Child Maltreatment, 1(4), 310-321.
13.
Efron, B.
(1980). Biostatistics casebook. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
14.
Finkelhor, D.
(1987). The trauma of child sexual abuse: Two models. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2, 348-366.
15.
Finkelhor, D.
, & Berliner, L. (1995). Research on the treatment of sexually abused children: A review and recommendations. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 34(10), 1408-1423.
16.
Friedrich, W. N.
(1996). Clinical considerations of empirical treatment studies of abused children. Child Maltreatment, 1(4), 343-347.
17.
Friedrich, W. N.
, Grambsch, P., Damon, L., Hewitt, S. K., Koverola, C., Lang, R., Wolf, V., & Broughton, D. (1992). The Child Sexual Behavior Inventory: Normative and clinical comparisons. Psychological Assessment, 4, 303-311.
18.
Friedrich, W. N.
, Luecke, W. J., Beilke, R. L., & Place, V. (1992b). Psychotherapy outcome of sexually abused boys: An agency study. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 7, 396-409.
19.
Hewitt, S. K.
(1991, January). Preschool children's responses to alleged sexual abuse at intake and one year follow-up. Paper presented at the San Diego Conference on Responding to Child Maltreatment, San Diego, CA.
20.
Howell, D. C.
(1992). Statistical methods for psychology. Belmont, CA: Duxbury.
21.
Janoff-Bulman, R.
(1985). The aftermath of victimization: Rebuilding shattered assumptions. In C. R. Figley (Ed.), Trauma and its wake (pp. 15-35). New York: Brunner/Mazel.
22.
Kazdin, A. E.
, Esvelt-Dawson, K., French, N. H., & Unis, A. S. (1987). Effects of parent management training and problem solving skills training combined in the treatment of antisocial child behavior. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 26, 416-424.
23.
Kovacs, M.
(1985). The Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Psychopharmacology Bulletin, 21, 995-998.
24.
Mannarino, A. P.
, & Cohen, J. A. (1996a). Family-related variables and psychological symptom formation in sexually abused girls. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 5(1), 105-119.
25.
Mannarino, A. P.
, & Cohen, J. A. (1996b). A follow-up study of factors which mediate the development of psychological symptomatology in sexually abused girls. Child Maltreatment, 1(3), 246-260.
26.
Mannarino, A. P.
, Cohen, J. A., & Berman, S. R. (1994). The Children's Attributions and Perceptions Scale: A new measure of sexual abuse-related factors. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 23, 204-211.
27.
Spielberger, C. D.
(1973). Manual for the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
28.
Van Hasselt, V. B.
, & Hersen, M. (1993). Handbook of behavior therapy and pharmacotherapy for children. Des Moines, IA: Allyn & Bacon.
29.
Wolfe, D. A.
, Sas, L., & Wekerle, C. (1994). Factors associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder among child victims of sexual abuse. Child Abuse and Neglect, 18(1), 37-50.
