Adult disclosure of sexual abuse: a primary cause of psychological distress?

There is evidence for a high incidence of childhood sexual abuse among adult psychiatric populations and some practitioners have noted a worsening of psychiatric symptomatology around the time of disclosure. Disclosure of abuse can result in hostile and rejecting responses from significant others in the victim's social support network. This paper surveys research evidence relating to the disclosure of abuse, and it is argued that for some adults, the disclosure of sexual abuse may be a primary cause of psychological distress, resulting in the dissolution of social support systems and increasing the individual's vulnerability to psychiatric disorder. The implications of the model for therapeutic practice are discussed.