OBJECT RELATIONS OF SEXUALLY ABUSED FEMALE SUBJECTS - A TAT ANALYSIS

TAT stories of 17 sexually abused female subjects and a clinical group of 25 female subjects with no documented history of sexual abuse were analyzed using the Object Relations and Social Cognition Scoring Syst em (Westen, Lohr, Silk, Kerber, & Goodrich, 1985). Subjects ranged in age from 5 to 16 years. As predicted, mean scores on a measure of over all object relations were significantly different between groups. Spec ifically, the mental representations of subjects in the abuse group we re characterized by more primitive and simple characterizations of peo ple, more negative and punitive affect in their perceptions of the int erpersonal world, an inability to invest in people and relationships i n other than need-gratifying ways, and an inability to make sensible a ttributions of self and others. Abuse subjects also produced more path ological responses overall than did their nonabuse counterparts, indic ating a tendency toward more extreme and immature functioning. These g roup differences were independent of any contribution of age and a mea sure of verbal productivity. Treatment and diagnostic implications are discussed.