Stigmatization and the Development of Friendship and Romantic Relationships in Adolescent Victims of Sexual Abuse

This study examines same- and other-sex friendship networks and perceptions of peer competence as functions of stigmatization, defined as shame and a self-blame attributional style. Fifty-six sexually abused adolescents were seen at the time of abuse discovery and 1 year later. Higher self-blame att...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Child maltreatment 2000-11, Vol.5 (4), p.311-322
Main Authors: Feiring, Candice, Rosenthal, Saul, Taska, Lynn
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adolescent Behavior - psychology
Adolescents
Child
Child abuse & neglect
Child Abuse, Sexual - psychology
Development
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Friends
Friendship
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Love
Male
Networks
Peer Group
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Psychopathology
Romantic relationships
Self Concept
Self image
Sex crimes
Sexual Abuse
Social Perception
Stereotyping
Stigmatization
Victims
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Summary:This study examines same- and other-sex friendship networks and perceptions of peer competence as functions of stigmatization, defined as shame and a self-blame attributional style. Fifty-six sexually abused adolescents were seen at the time of abuse discovery and 1 year later. Higher self-blame attributional style for the abuse was related to more satisfaction with other-sex friends and less satisfaction with same-sex friends. More shame was related to less satisfaction with same-sex friends and to having a larger number of other-sex friends. Higher self-blame attributional style was related to perceptions of poorer peer acceptance and close friendship and to perceptions of poorer romantic appeal. More shame was related to lower perceptions of peer acceptance and close friendship. The results support the idea that abuse victims who experience higher levels of shame and self-blame attributional style feel less capable of forming satisfying relationships with peers, friends, and potential romantic partners.
ISSN:1077-5595
1552-6119
DOI:10.1177/1077559500005004003