Despite the proliferation of studies documenting outcomes in sexually abused victims, gender differences remain understudied. The bulk of studies have relied on retrospective samples of adults with insufficient representation of male victims to explore gender specificities. This study examined differential outcomes among boy and girl victims of sexual abuse. A predictive model of outcomes including abuse characteristics and sense of guilt as mediators was proposed. Path analysis was conducted with a sample of 447 sexually abused children (319 girls and 128 boys), aged 6 to 12. Being a girl was a predictor of posttraumatic stress symptoms, while being a boy was a predictor of externalizing problems. Being a boy was also associated with more severe abuse, which in turn predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms. Child's gender was not related to perpetrator's relationship to the child or sense of guilt. However, sense of guilt predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms and externalizing problems while perpetrator's relationship to the child predicted externalizing problems. Gender specificities should be further studied among sexually abused children, as boys and girls appear to manifest different outcomes. Sense of guilt should be a target in intervention for sexually abused children, as results highlight its link to heightened negative outcomes.

Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of child sexual abuse in a representative sample of Quebec high school youths and document its associations with mental health problems and health-risk behaviors. Method: Data were drawn from the Quebec Youths’ Romantic Relationships Survey, which involved a one-stage stratified cluster sampling of 34 Quebec high schools from Grades 10 to 12. A total of 8,194 youths (mean age = 15.35) were recruited. The survey assessed child sexual abuse, mental health problems (psychological distress, post-traumatic stress symptoms, suicidality), health services utilization, and health-risk behaviors (alcohol, drug, and cannabis use). Gender-stratified multivariate analyses were used to assess associations between child sexual abuse and mental health problems and health-risk behaviors while controlling for confounding demographic variables and other forms of child maltreatment experienced in childhood. Results: A total of 14.9% of girls and 3.9% of boys reported having experienced child sexual abuse. Child sexual abuse was independently associated with an increased risk of psychological distress, greater health services utilization, and increased health-risk behaviors, after controlling for other forms of childhood maltreatment experienced. Conclusions: Child sexual abuse is prevalent among youths in Quebec and is associated with an increased risk of a host of negative consequences. Continued efforts in the development of early detection strategies as well as prevention and intervention programs are warranted.

To reflect the complex phenomena of child sexual abuse (CSA), studies should examine possible gender specificities and explore potentially explanatory mechanisms. The current study aimed to test the moderating effect of gender in the mediated relationship between CSA, self-esteem, and delinquency during adolescence. A moderated mediation model was tested among a representative sample of 8,194 high school students (57.8% girls and 42.2% boys) age 14 to 18 in the province of Quebec in Canada. Results showed that self-esteem has an indirect effect on the relationship between CSA and delinquency. Gender (being a boy) was associated with a higher level of self-esteem and an increased risk of delinquent behaviors. Among victims of CSA, boys reported lower levels of self-esteem than girls, which was associated with an increased risk of displaying delinquent behaviors. Self-esteem may be an important target of intervention for sexually abused youth, especially for boys. Focusing on promoting positive self-esteem may also reduce the risk for male adolescents struggling with the deleterious consequences of delinquency.

No abstract

No abstract

important for possible implementation of psychological services for families and siblings of chronically ill children in the future as a part of offered hospital services.

Des études antérieures relèvent que le sentiment de culpabilité est un facteur associé aux répercussions de l’agression sexuelle (AS) chez les survivants adultes (Cantón-Cortés, Cantón, Justicia et Cortés, 2011). Toutefois, très peu d’études ont exploré le rôle potentiel du sentiment de culpabilité sur les symptômes chez les enfants victimes. L’objectif de cette recherche est d’étudier le rôle médiateur de l’évitement dans la relation entre le sentiment de culpabilité et les symptômes associés à l’AS (anxiété et estime de soi). L’échantillon est composé de 447 enfants victimes d'AS (319 filles et 128 garçons), âgés de 6 à 12 ans. Les résultats des analyses acheminatoires indiquent que les enfants révélant davantage de culpabilité par rapport à la situation d’AS présentent un niveau plus élevé d’anxiété et une plus faible estime d’eux-mêmes. Un effet indirect a également été observé et montre que le sentiment de culpabilité est lié à l’utilisation de stratégies d’évitement, qui en retour exacerbent les symptômes d’anxiété et contribuent à une plus faible estime de soi. Le modèle, qui s’ajuste aux données de manière équivalente pour les filles et les garçons, permet d’expliquer 24,4 % de la variance des symptômes d’anxiété et 11,2 % de la variance de l’estime de soi. Ces résultats laissent entendre que le sentiment de culpabilité pourrait constituer une cible d’intervention pertinente pour les enfants victimes d’AS.

No abstract