The ability of teacher reports to identify child sexual abuse victims

This study concerns the validation of an instrument, the SAB2, designed to measure child behaviour and to help identify emotional problems which arise because the child has been a victim of child sexual abuse. Clinically disturbed children, mainstream school children and sexually abused youngsters were assessed. Reliability and validity tests were carried out and a factor analysis was performed which produced seven factors. Finally, the mean factor scores of 35 sexually abused girls were compared with a control sample of 112 girls. The sexual abuse group was found to have significantly higher mean scores than controls on all factors and on the total instrument score. However, closer examination of the scores revealed that 15 of the female sexually abused group did not display any problematic behaviours, whereas the other 20 presented with high scores on all factors and a significantly higher score than any other group on the sexual behaviour factor. The instrument was capable of distinguishing behavioural disturbance arising from sexual abuse from that arising from other sources. However, the instrument failed to detect the 15 'silent' abused cases. It is unclear whether this sub-group has protective factors operating which minimise (or help to mask) the impact of sexual abuse, or whether the effects of the abuse will manifest later in life.