POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS SYMPTOMS IN MOTHERS FOLLOWING CHILDRENS REPORTS OF SEXUAL ABUSE - AN EXPLORATORY-STUDY

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder were assessed in mothers wh ose children were seen subsequent to alleged sexual abuse. Stress symp toms were commonly found among these women following the reports of ab use. Mothers who had themselves been sexually abused as children exhib ited significantly more stress symptoms than did those who had not exp erienced such abuse in childhood.