Psychiatric status of sexually abused children 12 months after disclosure of abuse.

OBJECTIVE

The assessment of psychiatric status of sexually abused children 12 months after the disclosure of recent sexual abuse.

METHOD: Ninety-five children, aged from 4 through 16 years, were recruited to the study from a variety of agencies other than psychiatric units. Sixty-six (69.5%) were assessed for psychiatric diagnosis on DSM-III-R using data from parents, teachers, and children 12 months after disclosure of abuse. Abuse was extra- and intrafamilial.

RESULTS

Overall 63.5% of the children warranted a diagnosis on Axis I. There was a wide range of diagnoses, with particularly high rates of oppositional defiant disorder (19.6%), post-traumatic stress disorder (18.2%), anxiety disorders (30.3%), depressive disorders (12.1%), and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (13.6%). Boys had a higher rate of diagnosis than girls. Abuse and social variables did not predict diagnoses but mothers' mental status rated on the General Health Questionnaire did. Subjects not located at follow-up were more often male and more likely to be socioeconomically disadvantaged. Thus the estimates of psychopathology here are likely to be conservative.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlights the need of sexually abused children for skilled long-term therapy tailored to individual presentation.