PROBLEMS IN DIFFERENTIATING SEXUALLY FROM NONSEXUALLY ABUSED ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC-INPATIENTS BY SELF-REPORTED ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, INTERNALIZATION, AND EXTERNALIZATION

To ascertain whether self-reported psychopathology differentiated sexu ally and nonsexually abused adolescents, the Beck Depression Inventory , Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Achenbach Youth Self-Report were adm inistered to 111 psychiatric inpatients between 13 and 17 years of age who were diagnosed with various psychiatric disorders. Data about 14 background and clinical characteristics that were purported to be asso ciated with sexual abuse were also collected. Forty (67%) of the 60 gi rls reported sexually abusive experiences, whereas six (12%) of the 51 boys reported such experiences. None of the scales was correlated wit h sexual abuse in either sex, and a history of physical abuse was the only characteristic that was significantly correlated with sexual abus e for both sexes. Furthermore, none of the scales was correlated with identity of sexual abuser, age of first abuse, age of last abuse, numb er of abuses, days of abuse, penile insertion, and the reporting of th e abuse to the authorities in the sexually abused girls.