Perceptions of family functioning and the occurrence of childhood sexual abuse

The wide variety of sequelae attributed to childhood sexual abuse has led some authors to posit that it is the complex interaction between the object-relational developmental world of the child and the event and nature of the abuse that determines the enduring effects of the abusive experience. The authors addressed this hypothesis by examining the correlation between the occurrence of childhood sexual abuse and subjects' perceptions of the nature of their childhood family. Results revealed significant differences in the subjects' recollections of family functioning based on abuse status. Abused subjects recalled families that were isolative, rigidly ruled in an authoritarian style, and unable to foster the development of autonomy in family members. The authors discuss the study results in light of the interactions between memories of the childhood family and the experience of sexual abuse.