Impact of child sexual abuse disclosure on the health of nonoffending parents: A longitudinal perspective

The impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) disclosure on parents' psychological health has been documented among samples of nonoffending parents. Much less is known about the parents' physical health. This study assesses the longitudinal impact of CSA disclosure on both the mental and physical...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of child custody 2018-04, Vol.15 (2), p.147-167
Main Authors: Cyr, Mireille, Frappier, Jean-Yves, Hébert, Martine, Tourigny, Marc, McDuff, Pierre, Turcotte, Marie-Eve
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Child sexual abuse
Children
Disclosure
Fathers
Gender differences
Mental health services
Parents & parenting
Pedophilia
Post traumatic stress disorder
Psychological aspects
Psychological distress
Sexual abuse
Symptoms
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Summary:The impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) disclosure on parents' psychological health has been documented among samples of nonoffending parents. Much less is known about the parents' physical health. This study assesses the longitudinal impact of CSA disclosure on both the mental and physical health of parents and explores potential gender differences. Interviews with 92 mothers and 32 fathers were completed approximately 12 months and 18 months following disclosure. Generalized as well as mixed model analyses revealed that mothers reported more psychological distress, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms and activity limitation than fathers. With the exception of PTSD symptoms which showed a significant reduction over time, all other psychological and physical symptoms persisted. The findings highlight the importance of ensuring services for an extended period for the small proportion of parents who display especially high vulnerability.
ISSN:1537-9418
2690-4586
1537-940X
2690-4594
DOI:10.1080/15379418.2018.1460649