The anxiety, distress, and pain felt by children who are alleged victims of sexual abuse during an anogenital examination
Type de matériel :
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Empirical evidence on the effects of anogenital examination following disclosure of sexual abuse in children is scarce and inconsistent. The aim of this study was to provide a better understanding of the emotional response of children and their parents at the time of the medical examination and to identify the factors that may be related to the child’s report of anxiety, distress, and pain. The sample was composed of fifty-five children ranging from age six to twelve and their parents, divided into two groups: thirty-seven sexually abused children and eighteen non-abused children consulting for urinary tract infection. Results of chi-square and t-test statistical analyses indicate that, contrary to expectations, there is no significant difference between victims and non-victims and between children and their parents when it comes to child anxiety. Moreover, the level of knowledge about the anogenital examination is not related to the level of anxiety reported by the child and the parents, or to the level of distress experienced by the child. Finally, no link was found between the anxiety experienced by the child before the examination and the level of pain reported during the examination. Various exploratory statistical analyses were carried out to gain a picture of child victims and non-victims in relation to their medical history and the characteristics of the medical examination. Consistent with the results of prior studies, our results suggest that child victims do not experience more anxiety, distress (total score), and pain than non-victimized children.
Réseaux sociaux