Predicting Treatment Attrition for Child Sexual Abuse Victims

Abstract

Sexually abused children drop out of treatment more frequently than children receiving services for other issues. While researchers suggest that chaotic family dynamics may lead to inflated attrition rates in this population, other factors that potentially contribute to treatment attrition are virtually unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between child and parent characteristics with attrition for sexual abuse victims (N = 132) and their nonoffending caregivers. Results indicate that children with parents who confirmed past or current intimate partner violence were 2.5 times more likely to prematurely terminate from treatment.

• child sexual abuse
• treatment attrition
• intimate partner violence
• concurrent family violence
• child advocacy centers

Notes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/orPUBLICation of this article.

Funding The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/orPUBLICation of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Leigh DeLorenzi

Leigh DeLorenzi is an assistant professor at Stetson University in the Counselor Education department and a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Florida. Her research includes developing standards of conduct in graduate counselor preparation programs, and treatment outcomes for traumatized children. DeLorenzi is also the founder and program coordinator of the Stetson University Trauma Therapy Certificate program.

Andrew P. Daire

Andrew P. Daire, professor and associate dean for Research in University of Houston’s College of Education, received his PhD from the Florida State University in Counseling Psychology. Daire researches couple and family interventions to reduce stress and improve family and economic stability in low-income ethnic minority and underserved populations.

Zachary D. Bloom

Zachary D. Bloom is a doctoral candidate in the Counselor Education program at the University of Central Florida. Bloom is registered as a mental health counselor and marriage and family therapist in the state of Florida and currently works with individuals, couples, and families with a variety of presenting issues.