The impact of attributions and social difficulties on internalizing and externalizing problems in sexually abused children
The present study aims to identify factors influencing the functioning of sexually abused children in terms of internalizing and externalizing symptoms. Specifically, this study explores the link between attributions and social difficulties and behaviour problems, while both considering contextual and personal correlates. A follow-up evaluation was conducted one year after the initial evaluation among a sample of 55 sexually abused children. Their results were contrasted to those of children from a comparison group consisting of 61 non-abused children. Results indicate that sexually abused subjects exhibited significantly more externalizing problems than did the controls at both follow-ups according to parents’ perception. However, sexually abused children did not recognize these behavioral difficulties in their self-report evaluations. In examining possible factors linked to internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, reduced interpersonal trust was identified as a key factor influencing sexually abused children’s adaptation at initial intake. At follow-up evaluation conducted one year later, reduced interpersonal trust and higher levels of trust in peers at the first assessment were found to be associated to externalizing behavioral difficulties identified by sexually abused children one year later. Thus, children’s level of trust revealed to be an important variable linked to sexually abused children’s adaptation and psychological symptomatology. Results are discussed in terms of clinical implications for intervention with sexually abused children, namely the relevance of evaluating social adaptation in sexually abused children and targeting interpersonal trust in course of therapy.