The Process of Coping Following Child Sexual Abuse: A Qualitative Study

Journal of Child Sexual Abuse

Volumn 12, Issue 2, 2004, Pages 41-72

  Oaksford, Karen ^a,d   Frude, Neil ^a,b,c  

^a CARDIFF UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

^b S Wales Doct Train Cour Clin P   (United Kingdom)

^c UNIVERSITY OF GLAMORGAN   (United Kingdom)

^d WHITCHURCH HOSPITAL   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Child sexual abuse; Coping; Process; Qualitative

Indexed keywords

ADOLESCENT; ADULT; ARTICLE; CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE; COGNITION; CONTROLLED STUDY; COPING BEHAVIOR; FEMALE; HUMAN; MAJOR CLINICAL STUDY; MALE; PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECT; QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS; QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS; SOCIAL ADAPTATION; THINKING;

ADAPTATION, PSYCHOLOGICAL; ADOLESCENT; ADULT; CHILD; CHILD ABUSE, SEXUAL; DEFENSE MECHANISMS; FEMALE; HUMANS; INTERVIEW, PSYCHOLOGICAL; MIDDLE AGED; PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT; PERSONALITY INVENTORY; PROBLEM SOLVING; SOCIAL SUPPORT; STUDENTS; SURVIVAL;

EID: 1542317094     PISSN: 10538712     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1300/J070v12n02_03     Document Type: Article

References (70)

1. Affieck, G., Tennen, H., & Rowe, J. (1991). Infants in Crisis: How Parents Cope with Newborn Intensive Care and Its Aftermath. New York: Springer-Verlag.
2. Bagley, C. R., & Young, L. (1990). Depression, self-esteem, and suicidal behaviour as sequels of sexual abuse in childhood: Research and therapy. In M. Rothery & G. Cameron (Eds.), Child Maltreatment: Expanding our Concept of Helping (pp. 183-210). Hillsdale, NJ: L. Erlbaum Associates.
3. Baker, A. W., & Duncan, S. P. (1985). Child sexual abuse: A study of prevalence in Great Britain. Child Abuse & Neglect, 9, 457-467.
4. Binder, R. L., McNeil, D. E., & Goldstone, R. L. (1996). Is adaptive coping possible for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse? Psychiatric Services, 47, 186-188.
5. Briere, J., & Runtz, M. (1988). Symptomatology associated with childhood sexual victimization in a non-clinical adult sample. Child Abuse & Neglect, 12, 51-59.
6. Browne, A., & Finkelhor, D. (1986). Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research. Psychological Bulletin, 99, 66-77.
7. Coffey, A., & Atkinson, P. (1996). Making Sense of Qualitative Data: Complementary Research Strategies. London: Sage Publications.
8. Coffey, P., Leitenberg, H., Henning, K., Turner, T., & Bennett, R. T. (1996). The relation between methods of coping during adulthood with a history of childhood sexual abuse and current psychological adjustment. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 64, 1090-1093.
9. Collings, S. J. (1997). Child sexual abuse in a sample of South African women students: Prevalence, characteristics, and long-term effects. South African Journal of Psychology, 27, 37-42.
10. Compas, B. E., Malcarne, V. L., & Fondacaro, K. M. (1988). Coping with stressful events in older children and young adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 56, 405-411.
11. Conte, J. R., & Schuerman, J. R. (1987). Factors associated with an increased impact of child sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 11, 201-211.
12. Coyle, A., & Wright, C. (1996). Using the counselling interview to collect research data on sensitive topics. Journal of Health Psychology, 1, 431-440.
13. Decision Explorer [Computer Software]. Banxia Software Ltd, UK. (1990).
14. Derogatis, L. R. (1983). SCL-90-R Symptom Checklist-90-R: Administration, Scoring, and Procedures Manual. Minneapolis: National Computer Systems.
15. DiPalma, L. M. (1994). Patterns of coping and characteristics of high-functioning incest survivors. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 8, 82-90.
16. Draucker, C. B. (1989). Cognitive adaptation of female incest survivors. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 57, 668-670.
17. Figueroa, E. F., Silk, K. R., Huth, A., & Lohr, N. E. (1997). History of childhood sexual abuse and general psychopathology. Comprehensive Psychiatry, 38, 23-30.
18. Finkelhor, D. (1979). Sexually Victimized Children. New York: Free Press.
19. Finkelhor, D. (1984). Child Sexual Abuse: New Theory and Research. New York: Free Press.
20. Finkelhor, D. (1986). A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse. London: Sage Publications.
21. Folkman, S., & Lazarus, R. S. (1985). If it changes it must be a process: Study of emotion and coping during three stages of a college examination. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48, 150-170.
22. Folkman, S., Lazarus, R. S., Dunkel-Schetter, C., De Longis, A., & Gruen, R. J. (1986). Dynamics of a stressful encounter: Cognitive appraisal, coping, and encounter outcomes. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 992-1003.
23. Fromuth, M. E. (1983). The Long Term Psychological Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Auburn University.
24. Fromuth, M. E. (1986). The relationship of childhood sexual abuse with later psychological and sexual adjustment in a sample of college women. Child Abuse and Neglect, 10, 5-15.
25. Glaser, B. G., & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The Discovery of Grounded Theory: Strategies for Qualitative Research. New York: Aldine.
26. Gold, E. R. (1986). Long-term effects of sexual victimization in childhood: An attributional approach. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 54, 471-475.
27. Himelein, M. (1995). Childhood sexual abuse and the academic adjustment of college women. Child Abuse & Neglect, 19, 761-764.
28. Himelein, M. J., & McElrath, J. A. V. (1996). Resilient child sexual abuse survivors: Cognitive coping and illusion. Child Abuse & Neglect, 20, 747-758.
29. Hoagwood, K. (1990). Blame and adjustment among women sexually abused as children. Women and Therapy, 9, 89-110.
30. Horowitz, L. M., Rosenberg, S. E., Baer, B. A., Ureno, G., & Villasenor, V. S. (1988). Inventory of interpersonal problems: Psychometric properties and clinical applications. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 56, 885-892.
31. Hoshmand, L. L. S. (1989). Alternative research paradigms: A review and teaching proposal. The Counseling Psychologist, 17, 3-79.
32. Jehu, D. (1988). Beyond Sexual Abuse: Therapy with Women Who Were Childhood Victims. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
33. Jehu, D., Klassen, C., & Gazan, M. (1986). Cognitive restructuring of distorted beliefs associated with childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality, 4, 49-69.
34. Johnson, B. K., & Kenkel, M. B. (1991). Stress, coping, and adjustment in female adolescent incest victims. Child Abuse & Neglect, 15, 293-305.
35. Jones, D. P. H. (1997). Editorial: Social support and coping strategies as mediators of the effects of child sexual abuse and neglect. Child Abuse & Neglect, 21, 207-209.
36. Jumper, S. A. (1995). A meta-analysis of the relationship of child sexual abuse to adult psychological adjustment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 19, 715-728.
37. Klein, I., & Janoff-Bulman, R. (1996). Trauma history and personal narratives: Some clues to coping among survivors of child abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect, 20, 45-54.
38. Lam, J. N., & Grossman, F. K. (1997). Resiliency and adult adaptation in women with and without self-reported histories of childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 10, 175-196.
39. Lazarus, R. S. (1993). Coping theory and research: Past, present and future. Psychosomatic Medicine, 55, 234-247.
40. Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal and coping. New York: Springer.
41. Leitenberg, H., Greenwald, E., & Cado, S. (1992). A retrospective study of long-term methods of coping with having been sexually abused during childhood. Child Abuse & Neglect, 16, 399-407.
42. Liem, J. H., James, J. B., O'Toole, J. G., & Boudewyn, A. C. (1997). Assessing resilience in adults with histories of childhood sexual abuse. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 67, 594-606.
43. Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
44. Long, P. J., & Jackson, J. L. (1993). Childhood coping strategies and the adult adjustment of female sexual abuse victims. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 2, 23-39.
45. Merrill, L. L., Thomsen, C. J., Sinclair, B. B., Gold, S. R., & Milner, J. S. (2001). Predicting the impact of child sexual abuse on women: The role of abuse severity, parental support, and coping strategies. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 69, 992-1006.
46. Miller, D. T., & Porter, C. A. (1980). Effects of temporal perspective on the attribution process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 532-541.
47. Morrow, S. L., & Smith, M. L. (1995). Constructions of survival and coping by women who have survived childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 42, 24-33.
48. Nash, C. L., & West, D. J. (1985). Sexual molestation of young girls: A retrospective study. In D. J. West (Ed.), Sexual Victimization (pp. 117-134). Aldershot: Gower.
49. Nash, M. R., Hulsey, T. L., Sexton, M. C.,'Harralson, T. L., & Lambert, W. (1993). Long-term sequelae of childhood sexual abuse: Perceived family environment, psychopathology and dissociation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 61, 276-283.
50. Oaksford, K. L., & Frude, N. (2001). The prevalence and nature of child sexual abuse in a female university sample in the United Kingdom. Child Abuse Review, 10, 49-59.
51. Perrott, K., Morris, E., Martin, J., & Romans, S. (1998). Cognitive coping styles of women sexually abused in childhood: A qualitative study. Child Abuse & Neglect, 22, 1135-1149.
52. Polkinghome, D. E. (1991). Two conflicting calls for methodological reform. The Counseling Psychologist, 19, 103-114.
53. Qualitative Solutions and Research Pty Ltd. (1997). QSR Nud*ist User Guide (4th Ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Author.
54. Roesler, T. A., & McKenzie, N. (1994). Effects of childhood trauma on psychological functioning in adults sexually abused as children. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 182, 145-150.
55. Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the Adolescent Self Image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
56. Runtz, M. G., & Schallow, J. R. (1997). Social support and coping strategies as mediators of adult adjustment following childhood maltreatment. Child Abuse & Neglect, 21, 211-226.
57. Russell, D. E. H. (1983). The incidence and prevalence of intrafamilial and extrafamilial sexual abuse of female children. Child Abuse and Neglect, 7, 133-146.
58. Schetky, D. H. (1988). A review of the literature on the long-term effects of child sexual abuse. In R.P. Kluft (Ed.), Incest Related Syndromes of Adult Psychopathology (pp. 35-54). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc.
59. Seidner, A. L., & Calhoun, K. S. (1984, August). Childhood Sexual Abuse: Factors Related to Differential Adult Adjustment. Paper presented at the Second National Conference for Family Violence Researchers, Durham, NH.
60. Silbert, E., & Tippert, J. (1965). Self esteem: Clinical assessment and measurement validation. Psychological Reports, 16, 1017-71.
61. Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of Qualitative Research: Grounded Theory Procedures and Techniques. London: Sage Publications.
62. Suls, J., & Fletcher, B. (1985). The relative efficacy of avoidant and nonavoidant coping strategies: A meta-analysis. Health Psychology, 4, 249-288.
63. Testa, M., Miller, B. A., Downs, W. R., & Panek, D. (1992). The moderating impact of social support following childhood sexual abuse. Violence and Victims, 7, 173-186.
64. Tremblay, C., Hebert, M., & Piche, C. (1999). Coping strategies and social support as mediators of consequences in child sexual abuse victims. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 929-945.
65. Vitaliano, P. P., Russo, J., Carr, J. E., Maiuro, R. D., & Becker, J. (1985). The Ways of Coping Checklist: Revision and psychometric properties. Multivariate Behavioural Research, 20, 3-26.
66. Vogeltanz, N. D., Wilsnack, S. C., Harris, T. R., Wilsnack, R. W., Wonderlich, S. A., & Kristjanson, A. F. (1999). Prevalence and risk factors for childhood sexual abuse in women: National survey findings. Child Abuse & Neglect, 23, 579-592.
67. Waller, G. (1994). Childhood sexual abuse and borderline personality disorder in the eating disorders. Child Abuse & Neglect, 18, 97-101.
68. Ward, R. A. (1977). The impact of subjective age and stigma on older persons. Journal of Gerontology, 32, 227-32.
69. Wyatt, G. E., & Newcomb, M. (1990). Internal and external mediators of women's sexual abuse in childhood. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 58, 758-767.
70. Yama, M. F., Tovey, S. L., & Fogas, B. S. (1993). Childhood family environment and sexual abuse as predictors of anxiety and depression in adult women. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 63, 136-141.