DEVELOPMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE EFFECTS OF CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE

Childhood sexual abuse has numerous negative effects for the victim. T he severity and specific form of these effects vary across individual victims and within individuals over time. The timing of the impact of childhood sexual abuse on the victim's course of psychosocial developm ent is considered as a source of this variation. First, the variation in effects from childhood sexual abuse across individuals and within i ndividuals over time is discussed, with implications for the developme ntal impact of that abuse. Second, the timing of the impact of the abu se on the psychosocial development is discussed, specifically for adol escence. Third, implications for treatment are considered.