Psychometrics of a Child Report Measure of Maternal Support following Disclosure of Sexual Abuse

ABSTRACT

The study examined a new child report measure of maternal support following child sexual abuse. One hundred and forty-six mother–child dyads presenting for a forensic evaluation completed assessments including standardized measures of adjustment. Child participants also responded to 32 items considered for inclusion in a new measure, the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report (MSQ-CR). Exploratory factor analysis of the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report resulted in a three factor, 20-item solution: Emotional Support (9 items), Skeptical Preoccupation (5 items), and Protection/Retaliation (6 items). Each factor demonstrated adequate internal consistency. Construct and concurrent validity of the new measure were supported in comparison to other trauma-specific measures. The Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report demonstrated sound psychometric properties. Future research is needed to determine whether the Maternal Support Questionnaire–Child Report provides a more sensitive approximation of maternal support following disclosure of sexual abuse, relative to measures of global parent–child relations and to contextualize discrepancies between mother and child ratings of maternal support.

KEYWORDS:

• child advocacy center
• measurement
• reliability
• traumatic stress
• validity

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Children and Families (Grant # 90CA1689, Daniel W. Smith, PI). The involvement of Drs. Sawyer and Zajac was supported by an NIMH training grant (MH T32 18869, Dean G. Kilpatrick, PI).

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Children and Families (Grant # 90CA1689, Daniel W. Smith, PI). The involvement of Drs. Sawyer and Zajac was supported by an NIMH training grant (MH T32 18869, Dean G. Kilpatrick, PI).

Notes on contributors

Daniel W. Smith

Daniel W. Smith, PhD, is codirector of the Charleston Consortium Psychology Internship Program and professor at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, a division of the Medical University of South Carolina’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Shannon Self-Brown, PhD, is a professor of public health at Georgia State University. She is the PhD director of the School of Public Health and the associate director of Research at the National SafeCare Training and Research Center.

Genelle K. Sawyer

Genelle K. Sawyer, PhD, is associate professor of psychology at the Citadel, where she directs the clinical counseling master’s degree program.

Nicholas C. Heck

Nicholas C. Heck, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Marquette University. Dr. Heck’s research interests center on sexual and gender minority health, stress and coping, and interpersonal relationships.

Kristyn Zajac

Kristyn Zajac, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Calhoun Cardiology Center, Behavioral Cardiovascular Prevention Division, and Department of Medicine at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.

David Solomon

David Solomon, MA, is a doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at Central Michigan University. He is completing his predoctoral internship at the Charleston Consortium.

Shannon Self-Brown

Shannon Self-Brown, PhD, is a professor of public health at Georgia State University. She is the PhD director of the School of Public Health and the associate director of Research at the National SafeCare Training and Research Center.

Carla K. Danielson

Carla Kmett Danielson, PhD, is professor and director of training at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, a division of the Medical University of South Carolina’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

M. Elizabeth Ralston

M. Elizabeth Ralston, PhD, is the former executive director of the Dee Norton Child Advocacy Center.