BEHAVIORAL-PROBLEMS IN ALLEGED SEXUAL ABUSE VICTIMS

This study was conducted to compare the parental assessments of problem behaviors, using the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist, among alleged sexual abuse victims (n - 81) and an age, race, and gender matched group of nonabused comparison subjects (n = 90). Alleged sexual abuse victims demonstrated significantly higher mean total behavior problem. internalizing and externalizing scores than the comparison sample. Subscale profiles were all in the direction consistent with withdrawal, impairment in social interaction, and sexual problems. Item comparison indicated that sexual abuse victims were more likely to be assessed as having some problem behaviors that have been reported as being indicative of sexual abuse. A significant difference was not obtained on several behaviors that have been previously reported as indicative of sexual abuse. These findings support concerns that sexual abuse victims do exhibit more problem behaviors, but caution must be exercised when interpreting individual behaviors because of their frequency in a nonabused sample.