EFFECTIVENESS OF A TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR SEXUALLY ABUSED-CHILDREN

Objective: An evaluation study was conducted in order to evaluate the impact of the treatment program for sexually abused children. Method: Forty-one (41) children (aged 6-17 years), victims of a sexual abuse b y a family member, were assessed at pre and post-treatment (16 months following the pre-test). The evolution of children's psychological wel l-being was measured by the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI), the Picturial Scale of Perceived Competence and Acceptance for Young Chil dren (PSPCA), the Children's Nowicki-Strickland Internal-External cont rol scale (CNS-IE), the Children's Action Tendency Scale (CATS), the R evised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS), and the Pediatric Be havior Scale (PBS). A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was us ed to assess the strength of the relationship between the level of par ticipation in both individual (including dyadic and family therapy) an d group therapy and the evolution of Ss' psychological well-being. Res ults: Results indicate that the child's mental health was generally po sitively related to the level of participation in individual therapy b ut not related or negatively related with the level of participation i n group sessions except for the PBS. Conclusions: These results indica te the need: (a) to consider the adoption of a dose measurement in the appreciation of the therapeutic impact; (b) to have a better grasp of the nature and the effects of specific therapeutic activities include d in a program; (c) to have a better understanding of the disparities observed between parents' and children's evaluation of the psychologic al status of the child.