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CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE AND COUPLES' RELATIONSHIPS: FEMALE SURVIVORS' REPORTS IN THERAPY GROUPS
Author(s) -
Pistorello Jacqueline,
Follette Victoria M.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of marital and family therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.868
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1752-0606
pISSN - 0194-472X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-0606.1998.tb01101.x
Subject(s) - sexual abuse , clinical psychology , psychology , thematic analysis , child sexual abuse , child abuse , psychotherapist , developmental psychology , suicide prevention , medicine , poison control , qualitative research , medical emergency , sociology , social science
Therapy videotapes from five therapy groups for female child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors were analyzed for emerging themes of couples' difficulties reported by clients. Subsequently, the thematic categories were applied to sessions selected from an additional four groups and then correlated with CSA‐specific variables. The two most frequent relationship themes were difficulties with emotional communication or intimacy, and polarized positions on control. Whereas these two themes were correlated with survivors' CSA characteristics, sexual difficulties were correlated with survivors' level of current traumatic symptomatology. Results are discussed in terms of implications for the treatment of CSA survivors and their partners.