Factors associated with successful entry into therapy in child sexual abuse cases

Given the well-documented, long-term, negative mental health consequences of child sexual abuse, it is important that children receive counseling following abuse. Often, the social worker's responsibility is to insure that abused children are appropriately referred for counseling following disclosure of sexual abuse. There are multiple factors that could facilitate or hinder this process, and identification of these factors is important in assisting families in becoming engaged in therapy. The purpose of this study was to (1) determine the extent of the problem of sexual abuse victims failing to keep their first scheduled therapy appointment, and (2) identify factors associated with failure to attend. Subjects were 129 consecutive child sexual abuse clients referred to long-term therapy by counselors at a crisis intervention center. Those who attended their first therapy session (n = 84) were found to differ from those who did not (n = 45) on the basis of their race, the center to which they were referred (private or public), whether the family had a telephone in the home, and whether the child's mother agreed that the family needed counseling. Implications of this study for increasing attendance at therapy are presented and recommendations are made for further research.