Male survivors' perspectives of incest/sexual abuse

PURPOSE. TO show how understanding the aftereffects of incest and other for ms of sexual abuse from male survivors' perspectives may help clinicians id entify males with It possible history of sexual abuse. METHODS. Audiotaped interviews with 25 male survivors described the afteref fects in eight life areas. Data were analyzed by the double-coding qualitat ive method. FINDINGS. Themes identified included isolation, anger, depression/suicidal feelings, addictions, or low sense of self, and distant relationships with men and women. CONCLUSIONS. Clinicians need to explore the possibility of a history of sex ual abuse with males who seek treatment for addictions, suicidal ideation, depression, and chronic low self-esteem.