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Sexual and Physical Abuse Among Adolescent Girls with Disruptive Behavior Problems

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Abstract

We examined the prevalence and age of onset of physical and sexual abuse in a clinic-referred sample of adolescent girls, as well as differences in diagnoses and symptoms among abused and non-abused girls. Forty-nine girls (aged 13–17 years) with disruptive behavior were interviewed along with their primary caretaker. Data were gathered through both a structured interview with the girl and her parent, as well as self and parent-report questionnaires. Findings indicated that the prevalence of Conduct Disorder (CD) and Major Depression were higher for abused girls. Somatoform Pain Disorder was significantly less likely for physically abused girls, compared to girls who were both physically and sexually abused. Of CD symptoms, truancy was twice as high for the physically and sexually abused group, compared to the prevalence for non-abused girls. Internalizing symptoms were also highest for the dual abuse group. Onset graphs show that the onset of sexual abuse usually occurred at an earlier age than the onset of physical abuse. Abused girls showed an earlier age of onset of CD symptoms. Results indicated that the experience of combined types of abuse is associated with a poorer psychiatric prognosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRB Coordinator, Institutional Review Board, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

    Stephanie M. Green

  2. Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology, Slippery Rock University, Slippery Rock, PA

    Mary F. Russo (Associate Professor)

  3. Research Principal, Department of Child Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

    Judith L. Navratil

  4. Department of Child Psychiatry, Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

    Rolf Loeber (Professor)

Authors
  1. Stephanie M. Green
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  2. Mary F. Russo
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  3. Judith L. Navratil
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  4. Rolf Loeber
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Correspondence to Stephanie M. Green.

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Green, S.M., Russo, M.F., Navratil, J.L. et al. Sexual and Physical Abuse Among Adolescent Girls with Disruptive Behavior Problems. Journal of Child and Family Studies 8, 151–168 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022083700618

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