Exploring Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among Sexually Abused Children at Safe House
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2015-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to assess the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
among sexually abused children and to assess factors that aggravate the onset of the symptoms.
The study employed cross-sectional descriptive design with quantitative method of data
collection. The participants of the study were 41children who are between the age of 12-18 and
who are temporarily residing at Safe House for psychosocial rehabilitation for being sexually
abused. To assess symptoms of PTSD two scales namely the Child's Reactions to Traumatic
Events Scale (CRTES-R) and Child Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Scale (CPSS) were
utilized. The findings revealed that, all the studied sexually abused children at Safe House have
shown full diagnostic criteria of PTSD. However, based on the participants' scores in the two
scales, participants were categorized under moderate and sever level of PTSD. Accordingly,
when 95% participants categorized under moderate level of PTSD, 5% partiCipants were
categorized under sever level of PTSD in the PTSD diagnose scale. On the other hand, the result
found in the revised PTSD reaction index categorized 39% participants under low and 61%
participants under mild level of distress. Nature of abusive acts such as, ji'equent abuse, giving
birth due to rape, the closeness of offenders' relation with the victims and the re;ponse the
victims got when they first disclose the abuse were significantly correlated with the occurrence of
symptoms of PTSD. The type of counseling given to traumatized sexually abused children was
also found to be different from what was supposed to be given to these children. Based on the
study findings, to optimize the outcome of the treatment given to these children, professional
social workers engagement in developing indigenous manuals and guidelines that help
organizations provide these children with appropriate psychosocial service which is based on the
specific sequelas of abuse and age categOlY was recommended.
Keywords: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; Child sexual abuse, Trauma Focused-Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy, Distress Levels for the Child's Reactions to Traumatic Events
Scale(CRTESR), Chi ld PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS), Safe House
Description
Keywords
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Child sexual abuse, Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Distress Levels for the Child's Reactions to Traumatic Events Scale(CRTESR), Chi ld PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS), Safe House