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HIGH RATE OF PTSD AND OTHER ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION CONDITIONS IN SEXUALLY ABUSED KIDS
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A landmark study of
sexually abused children has found a high proportion of post-traumatic stress disorder and a variety of other anxiety and depression-related conditions in these children.
The researchers also found that in all except 6% of cases, the abuser was either a family member or a friend of the family.
"Stranger abuse is very small in this group," said lead investigator Professor Barry Nurcombe, University of Queensland emeritus professor of psychiatry.
Another finding was that the mothers of children who had been abused often had histories of abuse or neglect, particularly emotional abuse.
"Many of these women were depressed and anxious," he said.
Professor Nurcombe expressed concern that many sexually abused children receive no treatment at all because they are afraid to come forward.
Despite widespread publicity through the media and through healthcare networks, only 75 families around Queensland joined the study.
"It is very hard to get people into programs of this sort and the no-show and drop-out rate early on is very high.
"I am doubtful whether office-based therapy is the right way to go for many of these families -
they are very fragile and need a lot of support.
"Many of them need to be prepared for therapy over some period of time with home-based programs, rather than office-based ones."
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