Relationship of child sexual abuse to depression

Thirty-nine girls aged 6 to 12 participated in this study, each having been referred for evaluation of suspected child sexual abuse. The study investigated the prevalence of depression in the sample as well as the relationship of depressive symptoms to severity of abuse and potential mediator variables. The Child Behaviour Checklist and Child Depression Inventory were used to asses the severity of depression. A composite score for severity of abuse was derived from child disclosure and medical findings. Results indicated that 67% of the children could be classified as experiencing symptoms consistent with a diagnosis of depression. Severity of abuse was not significantly correlated with depression intensity scores. Stepwise regression analyses revealed that a high number of stressful life events and low IQ were significant predictors of depression scores. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.