Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
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The effect of severe child sexual abuse and disclosure on mental health during adulthood
- Authors:
- O'LEARY Patrick, COOHEY Carol, EASTON Scott D.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 19(3), May 2010, pp.275-289.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between indicators of severe sexual abuse and mental health symptoms during adulthood and to determine whether telling someone the abuse had occurred during childhood moderates the relationship between severe abuse and mental health. A phone survey was conducted with 172 adults living in Victoria, Australia, who were sexually abused as children. The results suggested that disclosure of child sexual abuse during childhood may be important in understanding mental health symptoms during adulthood. Telling someone about the sexual abuse was related to a greater number of mental health symptoms, however discussing the sexual abuse within a year was related to fewer mental health symptoms. Regardless of whether the respondent told someone about the abuse or discussed it, three indicators of abuse severity were associated with more mental health symptoms: being injured, being abused by more than one person, and being abused by a biological relative. The authors discuss the study results and their implications.
Suicide attempts among men with histories of child sexual abuse: examining abuse severity, mental health, and masculine norms
- Authors:
- EASTON Scott D., RENNER Lynette M., O'LEARY Patrick
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 37(6), 2013, pp.380-387.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Survey data gathered from a purposive sample of 487 men who were sexually abused during childhood were used to examine the relationship between abuse severity, mental health, masculine norms and recent suicide . The age of the sample ranged from 19 to 84 years. Recent suicide attempts served as the dependent variable in the study. Self-reported measures of sexual abuse severity, child physical abuse, mental health, masculine norms, and demographic information (age, race) represented the independent variables. The results from logistic regression modeling found that five variables – duration of the sexual abuse, use of force during the sexual abuse, high conformity to masculine norms, level of depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation – increased the odds of a suicide attempt in the past 12 months. To improve mental health services for men with histories of child sexual abuse, mental health practitioners should incorporate sexual abuse severity, current mental health, and adherence to masculine norms into assessment and treatment planning. (Edited publisher abstract)
Childhood disclosure of sexual abuse and mental health outcomes in adulthood: Assessing merits of early disclosure and discussion
- Author:
- EASTON Scott D.
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 93, 2019, pp.208-214.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Background: Empirical research on the impact of early disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) on survivor health is limited and mixed. One recent study found that early disclosure may actually be detrimental for abuse cessation and adult symptomatology (Swingle et al., 2016). The current study re-examined the effects of early disclosure and related variables on long-term mental health for men with histories of CSA. Objective: The primary aims of this study were to: a) investigate whether early disclosure and response to early disclosure were related to mental distress in adulthood, and b) examine whether having an in-depth discussion and timing of that discussion were related to mental distress in adulthood. Participants and setting: Data were collected from a large, non-clinical sample of male survivors (N = 487), ranging in age from 19 to 84 years, through an online, anonymous survey. Methods: Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted by entering groups of variables in four steps: control variables, CSA severity, disclosure, and discussion. Results: Overall, models explained between 24–28% of the variance in mental distress. None of the CSA severity variables reached significance. Both early disclosure (β = −0.126, p = 0.003) and response to first disclosure (β = −0.119, p = 0.006) were significant protective factors in Model 3. In the final model, having an in-depth discussion (β = −0.085, p = <0.036) and years until discussion (β = 0.102, p = 0.029) were also related to mental distress. Conclusions: Results support the merits of early disclosure and discussion on long-term mental health. Implications for future research and practice are presented. (Edited publisher abstract)
Masculine norms, disclosure, and childhood adversities predict long-term mental distress among men with histories of child sexual abuse
- Author:
- EASTON Scott D.
- Journal article citation:
- Child Abuse and Neglect, 38(2), 2014, pp.243-251.
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
Child sexual abuse (CSA) can have a profound effect on the long-term mental health of boys/men. However, not all men with histories of CSA experience psychopathology. To improve prevention and intervention services, more research is needed to understand why some male survivors experience mental health problems and others do not. The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to mental distress among a large, non-clinical sample of men with histories of CSA (N = 487). Using a cross-sectional design with purposive sampling from three national survivor organisations, data were collected through an anonymous Internet-based survey. Multivariate analyses found that only one of the four CSA severity variables—use of physical force by the abuser—was related to mental distress. Additional factors that were related to mental distress included the number of other childhood adversities, years until disclosure, overall response to disclosure, and conformity to masculine norms. Overall, the final model predicted 36% of the variance in the number of mental health symptoms. Mental health practitioners should include masculine norms, disclosure history, and childhood adversities in assessments and intervention planning with male survivors. To more fully explicate risk factors for psychopathology in this population, future studies with probability samples of men that focus on mediational processes and use longitudinal designs are needed. (Edited publisher abstract)
Posttraumatic growth among men with histories of child sexual abuse
- Authors:
- EASTON Scott D., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Child Maltreatment, 18(4), 2013, pp.211-220.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Despite an increased risk of long-term mental health problems, many survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) experience positive changes in areas such as appreciation for life, personal strength, and interpersonal relationships. Drawing on life course theory, this study examined factors related to posttraumatic growth among a sample of men with CSA histories (N = 487). Using multiple linear regression (i.e., ordinary least squares), it was found that men who had a better understanding of the sexual abuse experience, who ascribed to less traditional masculine norms, and who experienced a turning point reported greater growth. To promote growth, practitioners can help survivors understand the meaning and impact of the abuse on their lives and deconstruct rigid gender norms. More research on growth is needed with male survivors, especially on the nature of turning points in the recovery process. (Publisher abstract)