Variants of intrafamilial sexual abuse experience: Implications for short-and long-term development

This study examines short- and long-term maladaptive outcomes in a sample o f sexually abused females and a comparison group, The sample consists of in trafamilial sexual abuse victims ages 6-16 years at entry into the study an d a demographically similar comparison group. The outcomes examined include d measures of behavior and psychological problems such as aggressive behavi or, depression, dissociation, and low self-esteem; and measures at two time points, first at entry into the study (median age 11 years) and approximat ely 7 years later (median age 18 years). The specific questions being addre ssed were (a) whether subgroups or profiles, based on the specific characte ristics of the sexual abuse experienced, can be identified in this sample o f abused females; and (b) whether these profile groups predict different pa tterns of adverse short- or long-term outcomes.