Premium
Prevalence and denial of sexual abuse in a male psychiatric inpatient population
Author(s) -
Lab Damon D.,
Moore Estelle
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of traumatic stress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.259
H-Index - 134
eISSN - 1573-6598
pISSN - 0894-9867
DOI - 10.1002/jts.20036
Subject(s) - denial , psychiatry , sexual abuse , population , medicine , psychology , clinical psychology , poison control , suicide prevention , medical emergency , psychotherapist , environmental health
While the link between sexual abuse and psychiatric morbidity is well established, there are only a few studies that have investigated the prevalence of sexual abuse in male psychiatric populations and these studies have typically employed designs that ignore methodological issues specific to male sexual abuse. The present study aims to contribute to this research using as methodologically sound approach as possible. Seventy‐four male inpatients were interviewed using a questionnaire (J. N. Briere, 1992) about childhood sexual experiences. Approximately one third reported incidents that met this study's criteria for sexual abuse. Many of these men did not label such experiences as “sexual abuse.” The results suggest that mental health professionals need to be aware that many of their male patients may have a history of sexual abuse and that potential minimization or denial of it is a barrier to disclosure.