Intrafamilial Sexual Abuse: Family-of-Origin and Family-of-Procreation Characteristics of Female Adult Victims

Abstract

We examined connections between incest victims' family-of-origin and family-of-procreation characteristics in a sample of 40 American women who were in treatment for childhood or adolescent experiences of victimization. Retrospective data on their families-of-origin were collected along with their perceptions of current relationships with family members in the three-generational system. Results showed a close association between family-of-origin and family-of-procreation characteristics, especially in the areas of intergenerational intimacy, intergenerational fusion/individuation, and personal authority. A number of significant correlations were also found between subjects' past and present relationships with family-of-origin members and the dimensions of moral and religious orientation, achievement, and intellectual and cultural orientation, conflict, and control in their family-of-procreation. Some aspects of individual adjustment, including alienation, emotional discomfort, and defensiveness, were strongly related to various family-of-origin and family-of-procreation characteristics.

Intergenerational Effects of Incest on Parenting: Skills, Abilities, and Attitudes

“…Of these articles, one discussed the prevalence of incest in the lives of abusive mothers (Goodwin, McCarty, & DiVasto, 1982), and the remainder focused on difficulties experienced by this population including problems with setting limits, feelings of being overwhelmed (Gelinas, 1983); ambivalence about the parenting role, emotional estrangement between mothers and daughters, role-reversal, and blurred boundaries (Burkett, 1991); and differences in confidence and emotional control in abused versus control participants (Cole & Woolger, 1989;Cole, Woolger, Power, & Smith, 1992). Finally, Carson, Gertz, Donaldson, and Wonderlich (1991) suggested from their study that family-of-origin characteristics, particularly issues of intimacy, individuation, and autonomy, filter down to the family of procreation. Clinical observations and case reports of relational difficulties of mothers who report incest are well documented.…”

Characteristics of male partners of adult female incest survivors

“…Consistent across the literature have been reports that adult women who were sexually victimized as children exhibit a variety of difficulties in relationship to self and in relationship to others (Carson, Council, & Volk, 1989;Carson, Gertz, Donaldson, & Wonderlich, 1990;Cole & Putnam, 1992;Dinsmore, 1991;Downs, 1993;Finkelhor, 1986;Harter, Alexander, & Neimeyer, 1988;Tsai & Wagner, 1979). In terms of relationship difficulties with self, Cole and Putnam (1992) suggested that the incestuous experience results in a disruption of self-development which creates deviations in the integration, definition, and regulation of different aspects of the self.…”

Les abus sexuels envers les enfants. Jalons dans la formation d’un partenariat

“…La transmission intergénérationnelle de l'abus sexuel intrafamilial est un thème fréquemment abordé dans les discussions cliniques. En fait, la présence d'abus sexuels au sein de la famille d'origine est souvent considérée comme un facteur de risque important (Barrett, Sykes et Byrnes, 1986 ;Carson et al, 1991). Toutefois, il n'existe pas, à notre connaissance, de recherches empiriques sur la prévalence de ce phénomène.…”

“…En premier lieu, plusieurs chercheurs constatent la présence de frontières intergénérationnelles floues entre les systèmes familiaux d'origine des parents et le système familial des individus où l'abus sexuel se déroule (Carson et al, 1991). Cette caractéristique constitue d'ailleurs une condition probablement préalable, voire essentielle, à la transmission intergénérationnelle de l'abus sexuel.…”

“…L'analyse des processus communicationnels différenciant les familles où se produit l'abus sexuel des familles « normales » fait ressortir (1) le caractère indirect des échanges, (2) la présence de méfiance, d'hostilité contenue, de secrets et de doubles contraintes, (3) l'évitement systématique des conflits de nature affective et l'absence d'intimité, (4) l'absence d'habiletés de résolution de problèmes efficaces, (5) le développement de difficultés générales d'ordre sexuel et (6) la résis-tance systématique au changement (Alexander, 1985 ;Carson et al, 1991 ;Lang et al, 1990). Larson et Maddock (1986) ont poussé cette étude des compétences communicationnelles un peu plus loin en montrant que les échanges fluctuent selon la gravité de l'abus.…”