Maternal Factors Associated with Sexually Abused Children's Psychosocial Adjustment

Abstract

The potential influence of maternal adjustment and parenting style on children's psychological adjustment following sexual abuse was examined. A battery of standardized parent and child self-report instruments were administered to 100 sexually abused children and their nonoffending mothers. The results of a series of multiple regression analyses indicated that the maternal self-reported depression significantly contributed to the expression of both post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and parent-reported internalizing behavior problems in sexually abused children. In addition, children's perceptions of their mothers' parenting style as rejecting rather than accepting contributed to the children's self-reported levels of depression. Children's perceptions of maternal use of guilt and anxiety-provoking parenting methods contributed to increased levels of PTSD symptoms and parent-reported externalizing behavior problems. These findings are discussed in terms of their research and treatment implications.

Relationship of personal, familial, and abuse-specific factors with outcome following childhood sexual abuse

“…Further, when a victim perceived that his/her mother was rejecting, greater depressive symptoms were reported. Similarly, those victims that reported that their mother utilized parenting styles that were guilt triggering were more likely to report symptoms of PTSD (Deblinger et al, 1999). There is no way to discover a causal relationship between maternal depression and child's outcome, and the results may be due to the parent reporting greater symptoms in their children due to their own psychological distress, or that the children, through their interactions with depressed parents, develop more psychological symptoms than their peers (Deblinger et al, 1999).…”

“…Some researchers feel that the family environment, including a parent's response to the disclosure of CSA and the support given to the victim, is potentially more influential on outcome than the factors related to the abuse itself, if only because these family variables are potential targets for intervention, whereas the abuse characteristics are immutable (Deblinger, Steer, & Lippman, 1999). In general, the literature suggests that victims who receive support from their nonoffending parents are less symptomatic than those victims that receive no support.…”

“…Further, those children who reported that their mothers used parenting strategies that incorporated guilt and shame also reported greater symptoms of PTSD, and their parents reported more externalizing symptoms in the victims. These findings suggest that maternal adjustment and parenting style contribute to a child's adjustment following CSA, and interventions to address the adjustment and parenting style will likely influence the symptomatology of the child victims (Deblinger et al, 1999). Bolen and Lamb(2007) found that only externalizing and delinquent behaviors were related to parental support (with less support being related to greater difficulties in these areas).…”

“…In general, the literature suggests that victims who receive support from their nonoffending parents are less symptomatic than those victims that receive no support. In a sample of 100 children referred for therapeutic services following CSA, Deblinger et al (1999) found that children who reported that their mother's parenting style was rejecting rather than accepting were more likely to report greater symptoms of depression. Further, those children who reported that their mothers used parenting strategies that incorporated guilt and shame also reported greater symptoms of PTSD, and their parents reported more externalizing symptoms in the victims.…”

Understanding and Treating Feelings of Shame in Children Who Have Experienced Maltreatment

“…Parents may have the most significant influence on how children understand their experiences. In fact, it has been well documented that parental rejection or distress following an abusive experience may negatively influence postabuse recovery (Cohen & Mannarino, 2000;Deblinger, Steer, & Lippmann, 1999).…”