Friday, 14 January 2005 - 8:00 AM

This presentation is part of: Sexual Abuse

An Ecological Framework for Understanding Child Sexual Abuse Disclosure

Purpose: Despite advances in the prevention and intervention of child sexual abuse (CSA) over the past two decades, disclosure of this type of victimization remains a difficult undertaking. A concerning number of children (by some estimates up to 80%) are likely to withhold disclosure suggesting that many children endure prolonged victimization or do not receive necessary therapeutic intervention (Arata, 1998; Jones, 2000; Paine & Hansen, 2002). The purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore dynamics that impede or promote disclosure by examining a range of factors including perpetrator tactics to suppress victim disclosure, child and family features, environmental influences, cultural considerations, and societal attitudes. This research addresses critical issues for clinical research and interventions for survivors of CSA involving multiple levels of social work practice.

Method: Using the Long-Interview method (McCracken, 1988), data were generated through in-depth interviews with thirty four male and female survivors of CSA. Interviews were transcribed verbatim for open, axial and selective coding. Further, thematic analysis was conducted using N*Vivo software. Prolonged engagement, persistent observation, and peer debriefing were among techniques used to ensure trustworthiness of the data. In addition, theoretical triangulation was conducted in interpreting the findings.

Results: Results of the analysis revealed that disclosure processes are multi-faceted and complex. When trying to make meaning of these data an ecological analysis seemed to best fit as a framework for organizing and analyzing the vast amount of information brought forward through the participants' narratives. No single domain of a person's life appeared to account for their decision or actions to disclose but rather, a complex interplay of elements and influences served to explain if and when disclosure occurs. An ecological approach assumes that individual behavior can only be understood by taking into account factors at each of ontogenic, micro-system, exo-system and macro-system levels. These data suggest that disclosure is multiply determined by factors related to perpetrator(s) actions, child's personal traits and history, contextual factors primarily related to family features and characteristics, community supports and accessibility, cultural issues related to values and belief systems, and larger societal attitudes.

Implications for Practice: Although disclosure is hoped for at the onset of victimization, disclosures are often delayed and should be anticipated across the life span. Interventions should occur at micro through to macro levels. First, professionals can expect to work with children and adults who have withheld disclosure completely or attempted to tell over time in different ways, having experienced a wide range of responses. Thus, it is important for professionals to inquire about reasons for withholding, all attempts to tell, responses following disclosure, and consequences of telling. At the micro level information should be gathered about the family and other intimate relationships since certain family characteristics increase risk for lack of disclosure. At the exo and macro-system levels the social work profession needs to promote primary prevention, such as awareness programs and parenting programs, and secondary prevention aimed at larger structures such as the media and justice system.

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