Behavioural Problems Associated with Child Sexual Abuse in Adolescents: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Objective: Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a public health problem with negative effects on the mental health and development of children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to identify the psychiatric outcomes of child sexual abuse and the trauma-related behavioural and emotional problems in adolescents. Methods: Retrospective archive study included patient who were referred to child psychiatry clinic dates between 1 December 2010 and 31 December 2013. 136 CSA victims and non-CSA clincal referred group had reached. Diagnostic evaluation of the CSA victims was applied with the criteria of the DSM-IV-TR by child and adolescent psychiatrists and behavioral and emotional problems were were assessed by self-reports. Results: CSA victims are 86.0% were female and %30.1 expereinced multiple sexual abuse events. %72.1 of CSA victims has psychiatric diagnosis on Axis 1. Compared to age-matched controls Internalizing problems (p<0.001), Anxiety/depression (p<0.001), Withdrawn (p<0.001), and Rule breaking behaviour (p=0.002) scores are higher in the CSA group. Conclusions: Specific problems following a traumatic event may be important in respect of treatment and a formulation to understand the psychopathology. There is a need for longitudinal childhood studies to investigate the mediators of the psychopathology and to understand the emotional and behavioural problems of CSA victims.