SCREENING FOR CHILDHOOD PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE AMONG OUTPATIENT SUBSTANCE-ABUSERS

Research demonstrates that substance-abusing individuals report substa ntially higher rates of childhood sexual and physical abuse than the g eneral population. This study sought to test a method of identifying s ubstance-abusing clients with histories of childhood sexual and/or phy sical abuse and to explore the differences between those reporting chi ldhood abuse and those not. Files of substance abusing clients from tw o distinct time periods were examined for reports of childhood abuse. At Time 1 (n = 399) clients were not systematically asked about experi ences of childhood abuse, and at Time 2 (n = 305) clients were routine ly asked about this issue. Results indicate that significantly more ma le and female clients disclosed childhood abuse at Time 2. Additionall y, male clients reporting childhood abuse appeared more distressed tha n those not reporting abuse, female clients reporting childhood abuse did not appear more distressed than their counterparts.