Patterns of child sexual abuse and impairment of mental health in adulthood

After defining child sexual abuse its features are described which in empirical findings are highly correlated with long term effects. Depression, interpersonal disorders, and sexual disorders are typical long term effects of child sexual abuse. We emphasize that a pattern of features describing the relationship between offender and victim rather than single features cause long term effects. In the present study 124 female victims (-defect group) are compared with 26 female victims appealed specially for participation stating that they do nor suffer from any effect of child sexual abuse (-nor suffering group). The comparison of the two groups confirmed that the groups differ in a typical pattern consisting of incestuous relationship, use of violence, sexual intercourse, and frequent sexual abuse during a long time. In addition the victims of the defect group have more intense symptoms of depression and more negative self-images (self-efficacy and self-esteem), their interpersonal disorders (social distrust and negative father-image) were more intense and they have more sexual problems than the victims of the not suffering group.