Efficacy of Interventions for Sexually Abused Children – A Literature Review and Meta-Analysis of Treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms Pages 10-28

Kirsi Peltonen

University of Tampere, Finland

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12970/2310-8231.2014.02.01.2

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Abstract: Background: Child sexual abuse is a significant risk factor for psychopathology. Earlier reviews indicate that psychosocial interventions may be effective for some symptoms, but a comprehensive picture is still lacking. Moreover, the rapid increase of research requires evaluations to be updated. The present systematic review aims at describing the research on intervention efficacy among sexually abused children, and analyses their effect in decreasing the post traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS).

Methods: The qualitative literature review offers the overview of recent interventions among sexually abused children. It describes the quality of evidence as well as the modality (group vs. individual, family vs. child only) and targeting (universal, selective, indicated) of the interventions. To evaluate the efficacy of interventions, the meta-analysis is applied.

Results: The results revealed 23 relevant studies with total of 31 intervention conditions published between 2000 and 2013. The meta-analysis showed that when intervention groups were compared to control groups with no treatment at all, interventions showed a large power of positive changes in PTSS. However, when cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) groups were compared to control groups which received some other intervention, there was no difference in PTSS changes among experimental and control groups.

Conclusions: Results suggest that psychosocial interventions with sexually abused children are beneficial but it is still not clear, which are the most effective methods. The results also highlight the consequences of methodological decisions when conducting meta-analysis. However, because of some limitations of the study, the results of this review should be regarded as tentative and suggestive and further elaboration of the constantly growing evidence is needed.

Keywords: Child sexual abuse, Interventions, Post traumatic stress. Read more