The adult nonsurvivor of child abuse

There is a growing clinical research interest in the long-term effects of victimization in childhood and the difficulty the victimized child may experience in adulthood. Examined are two case illustrations of individuals who were abused as children. The results of their dysfunctional childhood have yielded massive failures to cope and adjust to adult stress situations and have resulted in each case with the development of psychopathology that has impaired their adult lives. Issues and import for clinical practice and future research are discussed.