Stability of retrospective self-reports of child abuse and neglect before and after therapy for child abuse issues

Objective: This study is a follow-up to a previously reported outcome study evaluating the efficacy of an emotionally focused therapy for adult survivors of childhood abuse. The present purpose was to evaluate the stability of self-reports of child maltreatment in the context of reduced psychopathology after therapy. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ; Bernstein et al., 1994) was used to measure the extent of child abuse and neglect. Method: The CTQ and measures of symptomatology, abuse resolution, and self-esteem were administered at pretreatment to 44 clients and after 6 months of therapy to 33 therapy completers. Post-treatment interviews also assessed changes in clients’ perceptions of self and abusive and neglectful others. Analyses examined change on dependent measures, in interviews, and on the CTQ, as well as the test-retest and alpha reliabilities of CTQ factor scales, and the relationship of CTQ factor scales with pretreatment measures of distress. Results: Analyses revealed significant reductions in psychopathology on all dependent measures and reduced self-blame, negatively biased memories, avoidance, and minimization of the abuse after therapy. Reports of abuse and physical neglect on the CTQ remained stable from pre- to post-therapy. All CTQ dimensions demonstrated good internal consistency and convergent validity with trauma-specific measures of distress. Conclusions: The stability of the CTQ in the context of significantly reduced psychopathology contributes to evidence supporting the accuracy of retrospective self-reports of childhood abuse. Objectif: Cette étude constitue un suivi d’une étude antérieure qui avait évalué l’efficacité d’une thérapie axée sur l’émotionnel, pour des adultes victimes de mauvais traitements en enfance. Il s’agissait d’évaluer la stabilité des dévoilements de mauvais traitements par les victimes eux-mêmes après réduction de la psychopathologie. Le Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ, Bernstein et al, 1994) a été l’outil de choix pour mesurer la gravité des mauvais traitements et de la négligence. Méthode: Le CTQ et d’autres instruments mesurant les symptômes, la résolution des mauvais traitements et l’estime de soi ont été administrés avant le traitement, à 44 clients, puis six mois suivant la thérapie, aux 33 clients qui avaient complété le traitement. Les entrevues suivant le traitement avaient aussi pour but d’évaluer le changement au niveau de leur perception de soi et de leur perception de personnes qu