Clinical Stakes of Sexual Abuse in Adolescent Psychiatry

The extent and nature of sexual abuse (SA) and its consequences in psychiatry are still poorly described in adolescence.

This article describes the frequency of SA reported in an adolescent population hospitalized in psychiatry, and assesses its links with the severity of mental disorders and the medical issues of these adolescents.

The study includes 100 patients for whom SA has been mentioned, among all patients aged 13 to 17 years old hospitalized for about 4 years. The characteristics of sexual abuse were correlated with the medical severity of the patients, as well as the number, the duration of their hospitalization(s), and the time until disclosure.

The results show the central place of SA in adolescent psychiatry, with a prevalence of 28.5% and a cumulative hospital stay which is five times longer than average. Correlations have been observed between the number of suicide attempts and the number of abuses reported. The medical severity of patients is significantly increased when the named aggressor is an adult. The number of hospitalizations is positively correlated with the number of reported abuses, as well as with the intrafamilial and adult status of the perpetrator. Finally, an early age of onset, repeated abuse, and the intrafamilial nature of the abuse are associated with a longer time to disclosure.

The severity of adolescent psychiatric situation is statistically in favor of a history of SA, which should therefore be actively explored during care.