Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Supporting Survivors Coming Forward, Samanta Herrera

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

As an intern at Survivors Healing Center an issue that was identified was child sexual abuse cases are too common. The contributing factors that have a correlation to the community problem that was mentioned is denial, emotional maltreatment, and family characteristics. The consequence of the contributing factors led to depression, suicidal and a potential reacurrence of sexual abuse. The purpose of the project was to educate participants on how to support survivors who are coming forward. By educating them the expected outcome was to have some participants leaving with knowledge towards the issue. As a result of addressing the contributing …

A Systemic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Psychoeducational Groups For The Treatment Of Psychopathology Resulting From Child Sexual Abuse, Alexis Lynnette Wilkerson

Counseling & Human Services Theses & Dissertations

It is estimated that 16% of men and 26% of women have experienced child sexual abuse (CSA), and studies have shown a strong association with long-term psychosocial consequences. The use of psychoeducational groups with survivors of CSA has been found to produce favorable outcomes; however, no meta-analyses have been conducted on studies assessing the use of psychoeducational groups to treat victims of CSA. The purpose of this systematic review and random-effect meta-analysis was to examine the efficacy of psychoeducational groups for the treatment of psychopathology subsequent to child sexual abuse (CSA) by addressing the following research questions (1) Are psychoeducational …

Mock Jurors' Perceptions Of "I Don't Know" Answers In Child Testimony, Leanza Greenlee

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Attorneys questioning child witnesses often ask complex questions that negatively impact children’s accuracy and consistency. Research has shown that instructing children to answer confusing questions with “I don’t know” can improve their accuracy, but little research has examined the impact of using this strategy on jurors’ perceptions of child witness credibility. The present study assessed 702 mock jurors’ perceptions of a 4- or 10-year-old child witness in a fabricated sexual assault trial transcript. Number of “don’t know” responses were manipulated, and half the jurors were told about the “I don’t know” instruction. Results demonstrated that greater numbers of “I don’t …

Collective Healing: A Restorative Justice-Based Response To Sexual Abuse, Delene Bromirski

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

For much of the last 20 years, the United States has been at the center of the sexual abuse crisis within the Roman Catholic Church. Victim-survivors of clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse have long been waiting for the Church to acknowledge them and respond to their needs. This study sought to answer two important research questions: (1) whether restorative justice can be used to redress harms stemming from clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse and promote healing, and (2) whether there are common characteristics among victims who benefit from restorative events. The study employed a mixed-method research design consisting of both a quantitative and qualitative …

Perceived Credibility Of Child Sexual Abuse Reporting, Bridget Lashbaugh-Barney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Understanding factors that could influence attitudes and beliefs regarding child sexual abuse may inform efforts to educate clinicians, legal and medical personnel, and even the public on potential sources of bias and barriers to treatment and other service utilization, particularly in rural communities. The purpose of the current study was to experimentally investigate the impact of child accuser age and gender and participant rural status on ratings of perceived credibility of child sexual abuse allegations described in vignettes. With this study, I aimed to not only clarify and update previous findings on accuser age and gender, but also to expand …

Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Understanding The Phenomenon Of Adults Who Are Sexually Attracted To Children, Heather Horn

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Title: Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: Understanding the Phenomenon of Adults Who Are Sexually Attracted to Children

Purpose: The goal of this research is to understand the phenomenon of adult sexual attraction to children through a prevention lens, from perspectives of those who are sexually attracted to children. Gaining direct experiences from those who live with this problem every day may provide insight into perceptions, beliefs, risks and prevention strategies for this population.

Methods: This study utilizes a mixed methods approach in three phases. With permission from the founders of the website called Virtuous Pedophiles, the members of this peer support …