Abstract

This study will examine the stigmatization process and how children and adolescents adapt to the trauma of sexual abuse. The central hypothesis is that sexual abuse attributed to internal, stable, global causes (e.g., """"""""It happened because I am a bad person."""""""") is most likely to lead to shame in the victim, and that more shame is related to lower self esteem, more depression, and more dissociation. Social support, gender, and developmental period are expected to moderate the stigmatization process. One hundred and twenty sexually abused children and adolescents will be assessed around the time of disclosure and one year later. Data on the types of victim most at risk for poor adjustment will be provided. Such information is central to the understanding of with whom and how to intervene.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH049885-03
Application #
2249253
Study Section
Violence and Traumatic Stress Review Committee (VTS)
Project Start
1993-09-01
Project End
1998-08-31
Budget Start
1995-09-30
Budget End
1996-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1995
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Medicine & Dentistry of NJ
Department
Pediatrics
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
622146454
City
Piscataway
State
NJ
Country
United States
Zip Code
08854

  Publications

Simon, Valerie A; Feiring, Candice; Cleland, Charles M (2016) Early Stigmatization, PTSD, and Perceived Negative Reactions of Others Predict Subsequent Strategies for Processing Child Sexual Abuse. Psychol Violence 6:112-123
Simon, Valerie A; Smith, Erin; Fava, Nicole et al. (2015) Positive and Negative Posttraumatic Change Following Childhood Sexual Abuse Are Associated With Youths' Adjustment. Child Maltreat 20:278-90
Feiring, Candice; Cleland, Charles M; Simon, Valerie A (2010) Abuse-specific self-schemas and self-functioning: a prospective study of sexually abused youth. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 39:35-50
Simon, Valerie A; Feiring, Candice; Kobielski McElroy, Sarah (2010) Making meaning of traumatic events: youths' strategies for processing childhood sexual abuse are associated with psychosocial adjustment. Child Maltreat 15:229-41
Feiring, Candice; Simon, Valerie A; Cleland, Charles M (2009) Childhood sexual abuse, stigmatization, internalizing symptoms, and the development of sexual difficulties and dating aggression. J Consult Clin Psychol 77:127-37
Simon, Valerie A; Feiring, Candice (2008) Sexual anxiety and eroticism predict the development of sexual problems in youth with a history of sexual abuse. Child Maltreat 13:167-81
Feiring, Candice; Cleland, Charles (2007) Childhood sexual abuse and abuse-specific attributions of blame over 6 years following discovery. Child Abuse Negl 31:1169-86
Feiring, Candice; Miller-Johnson, Shari; Cleland, Charles M (2007) Potential pathways from stigmatization and internalizing symptoms to delinquency in sexually abused youth. Child Maltreat 12:220-32
Feiring, Candice (2005) Emotional development, shame, and adaptation to child maltreatment. Child Maltreat 10:307-10
Feiring, Candice; Taska, Lynn S (2005) The persistence of shame following sexual abuse: a longitudinal look at risk and recovery. Child Maltreat 10:337-49

Showing the most recent 10 out of 17 publications