Family Trauma and Dysfunction in Sexually Abused Female Adolescent Psychiatric and Control Groups

Differences in family trauma, stressors, and dysfunction among psychiatric inpatients grouped by sexual abuse self-reports were investigated. Group membership was determined by self-report of adolescents during a structured interview using a modification of the Traumatic Antecedents Scale (TAS). Family trauma/dysfunction was determined from a composite score derived from the TAS. The results indicated a significant difference for family trauma/dysfunction, with sexually abused adolescents reporting more family trauma/dysfunction than psychiatric controls. Also, those abused extrafamilally reported significantly more family trauma and dysfunction than psychiatric controls, while those abused intrafamilially did not report significant differences. Group differences in the endorsement of certain traumas stressors also were investigated. These findings indicated that among psychiatric inpatients, family dysfunction and trauma are present in those extrafamilially abused. Moreover, the extrafamilially abused were significantly different from controls, while incestuously abused were not significantly different. These results are discussed in the context of separation and abuse vulnerability.