OBJECT RELATIONS OF SEXUALLY AND PHYSICALLY ABUSED FEMALE-CHILDREN - A TAT ANALYSIS

Selected Thematic Apperception Test (Murray, 1943) stories of 17 sexua lly abused, 15 physically abused, and 15 nonabused but distressed clin ical comparison subjects were analyzed using the Social Cognition and Object Relations Scales (Westen, Lohr, Silk, Kerber, & Goodrich, 1985) . Results revealed significant differences in overall object relations between the abused and nonabused children both on mean scores, reflec ting lower levels of typical functioning, and on frequency of Level 1 scores, indicating a propensity for more grossly pathological function ing. Further comparisons between sexual and physical abuse victims rev ealed differential impairments in the capacity to invest in relationsh ips and moral standards. Diagnostic and theoretical implications are d iscussed.