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Methodological issues in child sexual abuse research
1Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22903-2477.
Child Abuse & Neglect
|January 1, 1989
Summary
Methodological factors like response rates and varying definitions significantly impact child sexual abuse (CSA) prevalence and consequence research. Awareness of these issues is crucial for future studies on CSA experiences.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Research on child sexual abuse (CSA) prevalence and consequences has surged.
- Methodological influences on CSA research often receive insufficient attention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of methodological factors on CSA research.
- To examine how response rates, question order, and definitions of CSA affect study outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Survey of college students regarding childhood and adolescent sexual experiences.
- Analysis of how varying response rates and definitions of CSA influenced prevalence and consequence estimates.
Main Results:
- Response rates significantly altered prevalence estimates for CSA.
- Different definitions of CSA impacted both prevalence and consequence estimates.
Conclusions:
- Methodological choices in CSA research can substantially bias findings.
- Researchers must be cognizant of these methodological issues for accurate future studies on CSA.
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