Motherhood among incest survivors

This is a preliminary report of an investigation of the maternal functioning of woman survivors of child sexual abuse. One possible long-range consequence of child sexual abuse is its effect on the victim's future ideas about parenting, as well as her functioning in this role. Clinicians have observed a multigenerational "transmission" of this abuse, yet most empirical findings are insufficient in substantiating this notion. A study group of 26 mothers who are adult survivors was compared with a control group of 28 mothers with no such abuse in their background. Seven areas of parenting skills were investigated: role-image, objectivity, expectations, rapport, communication, limit-setting, and role-support. Significant differences were found on all seven scales, characterized by a tendency of the study group to be less skillful in the maternal functioning than the control group. Particularly high differences were found on the scales of role-support, communication, and role-image. Secrecy, shame, and self blame, so often associated with this abuse, are offered as partial explantation of the study group's general undeveloped social skills. However, other factors, such as age of onset and termination of the abuse, its severity as well as family dynamics and relationship, may contribute to these results. Further research in this area is therefore needed. Meanwhile, therapists should pay more attention to the maternal functioning of CSA survivors who are under their care.