Abstract
This study examined the stress responses of parents to whether or not their child testified in a sexual abuse trial against defendants from a day care center. Parents completed a questionnaire and the SCL-90-R. Impact of Events scale, and Life Events Survey. Parents of 17 testifying children presented higher symptoms of psychological distress than parents of 50 nontestifying children sexually abused in day care centers. In addition, the reported stress was higher in fathers than mothers. Following disclosure of their child's sexual abuse, stressful life events of death in family, loss of income, and separation were associated with parents of testifying children.
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Burgess, A.W., Hartman, C.R., Kelley, S.J. et al. Parental response to child sexual abuse trials involving day care settings. J Trauma Stress 3, 395–405 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00974779
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00974779