Citation

Parent-Boursier C, Hébert M. Can. J. Behav. Sci. 2010; 42(3): 168-176.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Canadian Psychological Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1037/a0017691

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The present study explores the link between the father-child relationship and outcomes following child sexual abuse disclosure cases. Seventy-nine children completed measures evaluating perceived attachment security to mother and father (Kerns Security Scale; Kerns, Klepac, & Cole, 1996), as well as the child's internalised and externalised behaviour problems (Dominic Interactif; Valla, Bergeron, St-Georges, & Berthiaume, 2000), and self-esteem (Self-Perception Profile for Children; Harter, 1985) after the disclosure of the sexual abuse.

RESULTS indicated that perceived attachment security to the father figure is not correlated with perceived attachment security to the mother. A series of hierarchical multiple regression revealed that perception of paternal attachment security added to the prediction of internalised and externalised (marginal) behaviours over and above perceived attachment security to the mother.

RESULTS are discussed in terms of implications for intervention with sexually abused children. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords

Attachment Behavior; Child Abuse; Child Attitudes; Distress; Father Child Relations; Self-Esteem; Sexual Abuse