Factors affecting group therapy outcome for adult sexual abuse survivors

Adult female sexual abuse survivors (N = 148) participated in year-long therapy groups. Demographic, abuse history, initial symptomatology, and group process variables were examined in relationship to group completion and improvement over time. Survivors who had previously been psychiatrically hospitalized were less likely to complete group treatment. Among group completers, significant pretreatment-posttreatment changes were found on measures of locus of control, sexual problems, self-esteem, trauma-related symptomatology (TSC-33), and general psychological distress (SCL-90-R). Greater changes on the SCL-90-R were found among Caucasian women, women with more initial trauma-related symptomatology, women whose abuse included intercourse, members of groups with similar abuse histories, and women with previous psychotherapy experience.