Sexual abuse evaluations: conceptual and empirical obstacles

Evaluating children for possible sexual abuse is widely regarded as a difficult clinical endeavor. Practitioners are concerned with both the basis for professional opinions and the accuracy of their ultimate judgments. Current approaches are critically analyzed for conceptual integrity and empirical support. The authors conclude that improvements in practice will be more productive than efforts to devise a procedure for classification of cases. Implications of this approach and recommendations for further research are discussed.