Child sexual abuse: controversy, sequelae, treatment

Controversy surrounds child sexual abuse and recent malpractice decisions may discourage clinicians from exploring such memories. At the same time, new research in neuropsychology and neuroimaging documents significant sequelae, a careful longitudinal study of abused children supports the concept of a cycle of violence, and the first meta-analysis of studies of survivors confirms the clustering of multiple severe symptoms characterized as disorder of extreme stress. Contexts seem to modify impact, and telling the story remains central to treatment.