Abstract
Children who disclose child sexual abuse are often referred for a comprehensive medical exam to ensure physical well-being and gather evidence. This study examined a brief, developmentally appropriate, psychoeducational video designed to instruct children and caregivers about the exam procedures and coping strategies to be used during the exam. Sixty-nine children ages 4–15 and their caregivers were randomly assigned to view the psychoeducational video (n = 35) or to receive standard practice (n = 34). Distress before, during, and after the exam was assessed in both children and caregiver, as were measures of satisfaction and knowledge about the investigation process and coping strategies. Consistent with hypotheses, results indicated that the video intervention was well-received by families, increased caregiver knowledge, and decreased stress during the examination. Caregiver and child distress decreased from pre to post examination across both conditions, and, unexpectedly, there were no significant differences in these decreases between groups. Overall results from this pilot study are promising in supporting a cost-effective and brief early intervention approach at the time of the medical examination for child sexual abuse for children and their caregivers.
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by Grant No. 1 UD1 SM56070-01 “Service Systems Models IDE Program” (PI: Benjamin Saunders) from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and by a Pilot Study Grant Award (PI: Alyssa Rheingold) and a Resident Grant Award (PI: Carla Kmett Danielson) from the Medical University of South Carolina University Research Council. The preparation for this paper was partially supported by grant award 1- K23-DA018686 from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA; PI: C. K. Danielson). Views contained in this article do not necessarily represent those of the SAMHSA, NIDA, the Medical University of South Carolina, or its associated agencies. Special Thanks to Drs. Sarah Shue and Anne Abel, Directors of the Violence Intervention and Prevention Clinic from the Medical University of South Carolina Department of Pediatrics, and Dr. Elizabeth Ralston, Executive Director of The Dee Norton Lowcountry Children’s Center, for assisting with video development and study data collection, and to the families that participated in the study.
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Rheingold, A.A., Danielson, C.K., Davidson, T.M. et al. Video Intervention for Child and Caregiver Distress Related to the Child Sexual Abuse Medical Examination: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study. J Child Fam Stud 22, 386–397 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9591-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-012-9591-3