Emotion Regulation in Sexually Abused Preschoolers: The Contribution of Parental Factors

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with emotion regulation deficits in childhood. Parents play a crucial role in the development of emotion regulation in their children, especially at younger ages. 

Close to 50% of mothers of sexually abused children report having been sexually victimized themselves as children. They are consequently at risk of experiencing significant distress following the disclosure of sexual abuse of their child. Parents' distress could interfere with their ability to provide support and to foster development of emotion regulation in their children. 

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship of parental factors (history of sexual victimization in childhood and the current level of distress) to sexually abused preschoolers' emotion regulation competencies. Emotion regulation was assessed in 153 preschoolers by their parents with the Emotion Regulation Checklist; 75 of these children were abused (14 boys); 78 were not abused (21 boys) and were part of a comparison group. Parents reported their level of distress using the Psychiatric Symptom Index. 

Results indicated that parental factors contributed to some dimensions of preschoolers' emotion regulation (namely displays of underregulation of emotion) above and beyond children's victimization status and gender (Cohen's ƒ² = .15). Identifying parental distress and history of sexual victimization as positively associated with emotional dysregulation in preschool children victims of CSA has important research and clinical implications.

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By:  Langevin R1, Hébert M2, Allard-Dansereau C3, Bernard-Bonnin AC3.

• 1Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• 2Department of Sexology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• 3Child Protection Clinic, CHU Ste-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• J Trauma Stress. 2016 Feb 24. doi: 10.1002/jts.22082. 

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An Expressive Art Group Intervention for Sexually Abused Adolescent Females

OBJECTIVE:

South Africa has a high prevalence of sexual abuse of children and adolescents. Among the numerous adverse consequences of sexual abuse is the difficulty survivors may experience in developing positive self-esteem and maintaining positive relationships. In a low resource setting, an expressive art group intervention tailored to female adolescents who have been sexually abused was implemented and its value explored.

METHOD:

Six adolescents met for 10 weekly sessions which included expressive art activities, followed by reflective group discussions. The value of the intervention was explored using a qualitative research design with limited quantitative data.

RESULTS:

The participants reported that the group intervention relieved their sense of isolation and contributed to their ability to express emotions and develop self-awareness. Participants reported more positive self-esteem and improved interpersonal closeness. The intervention helped participants to find new meaning in painful experiences which contributed to personal growth.

CONCLUSIONS:

The group dynamics, expressive art activities and reflective group discussions contributed to the therapeutic value of the intervention. The expressive art group intervention showed value as an alternative therapeutic strategy in a low resource setting for female adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse. An experimental design could follow to confirm the effectiveness of the intervention.

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By:  Visser M1, du Plessis J1.

• 1 Department of Psychology , University of Pretoria , South Africa.
• J Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2015 Dec;27(3):199-213. doi: 10.2989/17280583.2015.1125356. 

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Long-Term Effects of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Compared with Non-Sexual War Trauma in Female World War II Survivors

The aim of the study was to compare the long-term effects of conflict-related sexual violence experienced at the end of World War II (WWII) with non-sexual WWII trauma (e.g., being exposed to shell shock or physical violence). 

A total of 27 elderly wartime rape survivors were compared to age- and gender-matched control subjects who were drawn from a larger sample of subjects over 70 years of age who had experienced WWII-related trauma. A modified version of the Posttraumatic Diagnostic Scale was used to assess trauma characteristics and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 was used to assess current psychopathology. 

Additionally, measures of posttraumatic growth (Posttraumatic Growth Inventory) and social acknowledgement as a trauma survivor (Social Acknowledgement Questionnaire) were used to assess two mediating variables in post-trauma conditions of rape victims. Women exposed to conflict-related sexual violence reported greater severity of PTSD-related avoidance and hyperarousal symptoms, as well as anxiety, compared with female long-term survivors of non-sexual WWII trauma. 

The vast majority (80.9 %) of these women also reported severe sexual problems during their lifetimes relative to 19.0 % of women who experienced non-sexual war trauma. Women exposed to conflict-related sexual violence also reported greater posttraumatic growth, but less social acknowledgement as trauma survivors, compared to survivors of non-sexual war trauma. 

The results were consistent with emerging neurobiological research, which suggests that different traumas may be differentially associated with long-term posttraumatic sequelae in sexual assault survivors than in other survivor groups and highlights the need to treat (or better prevent) deleterious effects of conflict-related sexual violence in current worldwide crisis zones.

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By:   Kuwert P¹, Glaesmer H, Eichhorn S, Grundke E, Pietrzak RH, Freyberger HJ, Klauer T.

¹Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medicine Greifswald at the HELIOS Hansehospital Stralsund, Rostocker Chaussee 70, 18437, Stralsund, Germany, kuwert@uni-greifswald.de. 

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Extradyadic Sexual Involvement & Sexual Compulsivity in Male & Female Sexual Abuse Survivors

We tested a mediation model in which the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) severity and extradyadic sexual involvement (ESI) is explained through sexual compulsivity. 

Participants were 669 adults currently involved in an intimate relationship who completed self-report questionnaires. 

Prevalence of ESI was 32% in women and 57% in men survivors, more than twice the rates among participants with no CSA history. Sexual compulsivity was significantly higher in participants with multiple extradyadic partners as compared to participants reporting only one extradyadic relationship, who nevertheless scored higher than participants reporting no extradyadic partner. 

The hypothesized structural equation model (SEM) was invariant across men and women and indicated CSA severity was positively and significantly associated with sexual compulsivity, which, in turn, predicted ESI. However, there was also a direct association between CSA and ESI. High CSA severity, directly and through high sexual compulsivity, led to the highest probability of ESI.

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By: Vaillancourt-Morel MP1, Dugal C2, Stewart RP1, Godbout N3, Sabourin S1, Lussier Y4, Briere J5.

• 1a École de psychologie , Université Laval.
• 2b Département de psychologie , Université du Québec à Montréal.
• 3e Département de sexologie , Université du Québec à Montréal.
• 4c Département de psychologie , Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.
• 5d Keck School of Medicine , University of Southern California , Los Angeles. 

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