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Sexual abuse of girls: aspects of the genesis of mental disorders and therapeutic implications
Author(s) -
Kinzl J.,
Biebl W.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1991.tb05569.x
Subject(s) - psychopathology , sexual abuse , psychology , psychosocial , psychodynamics , learned helplessness , feeling , psychological abuse , psychiatry , clinical psychology , child abuse , poison control , psychotherapist , medicine , suicide prevention , medical emergency , social psychology
We studied the mental disorders of 33 women with a history of intrafamilial sexual abuse as a child and found a wide range of psychopathological symptoms, but no typical incest syndrome. Several psychosocial factors are presented and the psychodynamics of and the causative circumstances initiating the mental disorders are discussed. These circumstances were mainly situations of separation, which led to ego instability and gave rise to a feeling of helplessness and impotence. The necessity to take into consideration the possibility of sexual abuse during childhood in all cases of mental disorders as well as therapeutic guidelines are discussed.