Childhood sexual abuse. Women's Mental and Social Health Before and After Group Therapy

Gunilla Lundqvist

Childhood sexual abuse. Women's Mental and Social Health Before and After Group Therapy

Gunilla Lundqvist

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Research output: Thesis › Doctoral Thesis (compilation)

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in psychological and social variables before and after group therapy for adult women who were sexually abused in childhood. Other aims were to describe and evaluate the traumafocused group therapy by consumer satisfaction, to describe the women's health before group therapy start and to evaluate the impact of single childhood sexual abuse variables on mental and social health. Material and Methods: 45 female psychiatric outpatients were treated in 10 different two-year long trauma-focused therapy groups. Each woman was interviewed on admission. Before and after treatment the women answered questionnaires regarding psychological symptoms, social variables and sense of coherence. A 12-months follow-up was done. Inpatient days and sick-listing days were assessed. After treatment termination the consumer satisfaction was evaluated.

Results: The women had mostly been abused at an early age, by a close perpetrator, through serious sexual abuse and over several years. It was common not to have revealed the sexual abuse when it happened, mostly owing to fear of not being believed. Before treatment, nearly half of the group reported a suicide attempt in their life history. In present life, most of the women had problems with their relationships to men and to women, sexual problems, low self-esteem and somatic pain. Compared to general female groups, the women suffered more from psychological symptoms, were less satisfied with their network, had a poorer social adjustment and poorer values regarding family climate and expressed emotion to their partner. Improvements after group therapy were found regarding psychological and PTSD-symptoms, sense of coherence, social interaction and social adjustment. Expressed emotion was improved regarding perceived criticism. Family climate, the inpatient days and the sick-listing days showed no improvements. Consumer satisfaction was high. Comparisons were made with a short-term therapy group which also showed satisfying treatment effects. A waiting-list group showed no changes except for improvement of the total social interaction. No differences were found between the groups.

Conclusions: Time-limited and trauma focused group therapy seems to have positive effects on psychological and PTSD-symptoms, sense of coherence, social interaction, overall social adjustment and perceived criticism from the partner.

Original language	English
Qualification	Doctor
Awarding Institution	Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Supervisors/Advisors	Svedin, Carl Göran, Supervisor
Award date	2005 Apr 15
Publisher	[email protected]
ISBN (Print)	91-85439-11-8
Publication status	Published - 2005

Bibliographical note

Defence details

Date: 2005-04-15
Time: 09:15
Place: Edens Hörsal

External reviewer(s)

Name: Wrangsjö, Björn
Title: Ass professor
Affiliation: Karolinska Institutet i Stockholm

---

<div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, K Hansson, CG Svedin and I Ekström. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">Group therapy for women who were sexually abused as children. Description, symptoms and consumer satisfaction.</span> <span class="journal_series_title">In F. Columbus (Ed), Domestic Violence. New York: Nova Science publishers Inc.</span>, (accepted)</div>
<div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, CG Svedin and K Hansson. <span class="article_issue_date">2004</span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(544580)" class="article_link">Childhood sexual abuse. Women's health when starting in group therapy.</a> <span class="journal_series_title">Nordic Journal of Psychiatry</span>, <span class="journal_volume">vol 58</span> <span class="journal_pages">pp 25-32</span>. <span class="journal_distributor">Taylor & Francis Health Sciences</span></div>
<div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, K Hansson and CG Svedin. <span class="article_issue_date">2004</span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(544581)" class="article_link">The influence of childhood sexual abuse factors on women's health.</a> <span class="journal_series_title">Nordic Journal of Psychiatry</span>, <span class="journal_volume">vol 58</span> <span class="journal_pages">pp 395-401</span>. <span class="journal_distributor">Taylor & Francis Health Sciences</span></div>
<div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, CG Svedin, K Hansson and I Broman. <span class="article_issue_date">2004</span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(544582)" class="article_link">Group therapy for women sexually abused as children. Mental health before and after group therapy.</a> (submitted)</div>
<div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, K Hansson and CG Svedin. <span class="article_issue_date">2004</span>. <span class="article_title">Group therapy for women sexually abused as children. Social interaction, adjustment and relationships before and after group therapy.</span> (submitted)</div>

Subject classification (UKÄ)

Psychiatry

Free keywords

psychological symptoms
childhood sexual abuse
group therapy
Medicin (människa och djur)
Medicine (human and vertebrates)
social adjustment
social interaction

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

@phdthesis{f9f32192563b413e8e36d3175ec3f250,

title = "Childhood sexual abuse. Women's Mental and Social Health Before and After Group Therapy",

abstract = "The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in psychological and social variables before and after group therapy for adult women who were sexually abused in childhood. Other aims were to describe and evaluate the traumafocused group therapy by consumer satisfaction, to describe the women's health before group therapy start and to evaluate the impact of single childhood sexual abuse variables on mental and social health. Material and Methods: 45 female psychiatric outpatients were treated in 10 different two-year long trauma-focused therapy groups. Each woman was interviewed on admission. Before and after treatment the women answered questionnaires regarding psychological symptoms, social variables and sense of coherence. A 12-months follow-up was done. Inpatient days and sick-listing days were assessed. After treatment termination the consumer satisfaction was evaluated. Results: The women had mostly been abused at an early age, by a close perpetrator, through serious sexual abuse and over several years. It was common not to have revealed the sexual abuse when it happened, mostly owing to fear of not being believed. Before treatment, nearly half of the group reported a suicide attempt in their life history. In present life, most of the women had problems with their relationships to men and to women, sexual problems, low self-esteem and somatic pain. Compared to general female groups, the women suffered more from psychological symptoms, were less satisfied with their network, had a poorer social adjustment and poorer values regarding family climate and expressed emotion to their partner. Improvements after group therapy were found regarding psychological and PTSD-symptoms, sense of coherence, social interaction and social adjustment. Expressed emotion was improved regarding perceived criticism. Family climate, the inpatient days and the sick-listing days showed no improvements. Consumer satisfaction was high. Comparisons were made with a short-term therapy group which also showed satisfying treatment effects. A waiting-list group showed no changes except for improvement of the total social interaction. No differences were found between the groups. Conclusions: Time-limited and trauma focused group therapy seems to have positive effects on psychological and PTSD-symptoms, sense of coherence, social interaction, overall social adjustment and perceived criticism from the partner.",

keywords = "psychological symptoms, childhood sexual abuse, group therapy, Medicin (m{\"a}nniska och djur), Medicine (human and vertebrates), social adjustment, social interaction",

author = "Gunilla Lundqvist",

note = "Defence details Date: 2005-04-15 Time: 09:15 Place: Edens H{\"o}rsal External reviewer(s) Name: Wrangsj{\"o}, Bj{\"o}rn Title: Ass professor Affiliation: Karolinska Institutet i Stockholm --- <div class={"}article_info{"}>G Lundqvist, K Hansson, CG Svedin and I Ekstr{\"o}m. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2005</span>. <span class={"}article_title{"}>Group therapy for women who were sexually abused as children. Description, symptoms and consumer satisfaction.</span> <span class={"}journal_series_title{"}>In F. Columbus (Ed), Domestic Violence. New York: Nova Science publishers Inc.</span>, (accepted)</div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>G Lundqvist, CG Svedin and K Hansson. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2004</span>. <a href={"}javascript:downloadFile(544580){"} class={"}article_link{"}>Childhood sexual abuse. Women's health when starting in group therapy.</a> <span class={"}journal_series_title{"}>Nordic Journal of Psychiatry</span>, <span class={"}journal_volume{"}>vol 58</span> <span class={"}journal_pages{"}>pp 25-32</span>. <span class={"}journal_distributor{"}>Taylor & Francis Health Sciences</span></div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>G Lundqvist, K Hansson and CG Svedin. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2004</span>. <a href={"}javascript:downloadFile(544581){"} class={"}article_link{"}>The influence of childhood sexual abuse factors on women's health.</a> <span class={"}journal_series_title{"}>Nordic Journal of Psychiatry</span>, <span class={"}journal_volume{"}>vol 58</span> <span class={"}journal_pages{"}>pp 395-401</span>. <span class={"}journal_distributor{"}>Taylor & Francis Health Sciences</span></div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>G Lundqvist, CG Svedin, K Hansson and I Broman. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2004</span>. <a href={"}javascript:downloadFile(544582){"} class={"}article_link{"}>Group therapy for women sexually abused as children. Mental health before and after group therapy.</a> (submitted)</div> <div class={"}article_info{"}>G Lundqvist, K Hansson and CG Svedin. <span class={"}article_issue_date{"}>2004</span>. <span class={"}article_title{"}>Group therapy for women sexually abused as children. Social interaction, adjustment and relationships before and after group therapy.</span> (submitted)</div>",

year = "2005",

language = "English",

isbn = "91-85439-11-8",

publisher = "[email protected]",

type = "Doctoral Thesis (compilation)",

school = "Child and Adolescent Psychiatry",

}

TY - THES

T1 - Childhood sexual abuse. Women's Mental and Social Health Before and After Group Therapy

AU - Lundqvist, Gunilla

N1 - Defence details Date: 2005-04-15 Time: 09:15 Place: Edens Hörsal External reviewer(s) Name: Wrangsjö, Björn Title: Ass professor Affiliation: Karolinska Institutet i Stockholm --- <div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, K Hansson, CG Svedin and I Ekström. <span class="article_issue_date">2005</span>. <span class="article_title">Group therapy for women who were sexually abused as children. Description, symptoms and consumer satisfaction.</span> <span class="journal_series_title">In F. Columbus (Ed), Domestic Violence. New York: Nova Science publishers Inc.</span>, (accepted)</div> <div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, CG Svedin and K Hansson. <span class="article_issue_date">2004</span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(544580)" class="article_link">Childhood sexual abuse. Women's health when starting in group therapy.</a> <span class="journal_series_title">Nordic Journal of Psychiatry</span>, <span class="journal_volume">vol 58</span> <span class="journal_pages">pp 25-32</span>. <span class="journal_distributor">Taylor & Francis Health Sciences</span></div> <div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, K Hansson and CG Svedin. <span class="article_issue_date">2004</span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(544581)" class="article_link">The influence of childhood sexual abuse factors on women's health.</a> <span class="journal_series_title">Nordic Journal of Psychiatry</span>, <span class="journal_volume">vol 58</span> <span class="journal_pages">pp 395-401</span>. <span class="journal_distributor">Taylor & Francis Health Sciences</span></div> <div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, CG Svedin, K Hansson and I Broman. <span class="article_issue_date">2004</span>. <a href="javascript:downloadFile(544582)" class="article_link">Group therapy for women sexually abused as children. Mental health before and after group therapy.</a> (submitted)</div> <div class="article_info">G Lundqvist, K Hansson and CG Svedin. <span class="article_issue_date">2004</span>. <span class="article_title">Group therapy for women sexually abused as children. Social interaction, adjustment and relationships before and after group therapy.</span> (submitted)</div>

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in psychological and social variables before and after group therapy for adult women who were sexually abused in childhood. Other aims were to describe and evaluate the traumafocused group therapy by consumer satisfaction, to describe the women's health before group therapy start and to evaluate the impact of single childhood sexual abuse variables on mental and social health. Material and Methods: 45 female psychiatric outpatients were treated in 10 different two-year long trauma-focused therapy groups. Each woman was interviewed on admission. Before and after treatment the women answered questionnaires regarding psychological symptoms, social variables and sense of coherence. A 12-months follow-up was done. Inpatient days and sick-listing days were assessed. After treatment termination the consumer satisfaction was evaluated. Results: The women had mostly been abused at an early age, by a close perpetrator, through serious sexual abuse and over several years. It was common not to have revealed the sexual abuse when it happened, mostly owing to fear of not being believed. Before treatment, nearly half of the group reported a suicide attempt in their life history. In present life, most of the women had problems with their relationships to men and to women, sexual problems, low self-esteem and somatic pain. Compared to general female groups, the women suffered more from psychological symptoms, were less satisfied with their network, had a poorer social adjustment and poorer values regarding family climate and expressed emotion to their partner. Improvements after group therapy were found regarding psychological and PTSD-symptoms, sense of coherence, social interaction and social adjustment. Expressed emotion was improved regarding perceived criticism. Family climate, the inpatient days and the sick-listing days showed no improvements. Consumer satisfaction was high. Comparisons were made with a short-term therapy group which also showed satisfying treatment effects. A waiting-list group showed no changes except for improvement of the total social interaction. No differences were found between the groups. Conclusions: Time-limited and trauma focused group therapy seems to have positive effects on psychological and PTSD-symptoms, sense of coherence, social interaction, overall social adjustment and perceived criticism from the partner.

AB - The aim of the study was to evaluate changes in psychological and social variables before and after group therapy for adult women who were sexually abused in childhood. Other aims were to describe and evaluate the traumafocused group therapy by consumer satisfaction, to describe the women's health before group therapy start and to evaluate the impact of single childhood sexual abuse variables on mental and social health. Material and Methods: 45 female psychiatric outpatients were treated in 10 different two-year long trauma-focused therapy groups. Each woman was interviewed on admission. Before and after treatment the women answered questionnaires regarding psychological symptoms, social variables and sense of coherence. A 12-months follow-up was done. Inpatient days and sick-listing days were assessed. After treatment termination the consumer satisfaction was evaluated. Results: The women had mostly been abused at an early age, by a close perpetrator, through serious sexual abuse and over several years. It was common not to have revealed the sexual abuse when it happened, mostly owing to fear of not being believed. Before treatment, nearly half of the group reported a suicide attempt in their life history. In present life, most of the women had problems with their relationships to men and to women, sexual problems, low self-esteem and somatic pain. Compared to general female groups, the women suffered more from psychological symptoms, were less satisfied with their network, had a poorer social adjustment and poorer values regarding family climate and expressed emotion to their partner. Improvements after group therapy were found regarding psychological and PTSD-symptoms, sense of coherence, social interaction and social adjustment. Expressed emotion was improved regarding perceived criticism. Family climate, the inpatient days and the sick-listing days showed no improvements. Consumer satisfaction was high. Comparisons were made with a short-term therapy group which also showed satisfying treatment effects. A waiting-list group showed no changes except for improvement of the total social interaction. No differences were found between the groups. Conclusions: Time-limited and trauma focused group therapy seems to have positive effects on psychological and PTSD-symptoms, sense of coherence, social interaction, overall social adjustment and perceived criticism from the partner.

KW - psychological symptoms

KW - childhood sexual abuse

KW - group therapy

KW - Medicin (människa och djur)

KW - Medicine (human and vertebrates)

KW - social adjustment

KW - social interaction

M3 - Doctoral Thesis (compilation)

SN - 91-85439-11-8

PB - [email protected]

ER -

Childhood sexual abuse. Women's Mental and Social Health Before and After Group Therapy

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Subject classification (UKÄ)

Free keywords

UN SDGs

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