This article describes the effectiveness of a group therapy program used at the University of Manitoba with pre-adolescent girls who have experienced sexual abuse. Thirty-five girls, ranging in age from 7 to 12, were referred to structured therapy groups of 9 to 12 weeks' duration.Issues addressed in weekly sessions included feelings about the offender, problem-solving, sex education,'and prevention of further abuse. Measurements of self-esteem, anxiety, and internalizing and externalizing behaviour problems were taken for participating children prior to and following treatment at 1 and 9 to 12 month intervals. Parent-and child-reported social validity data were also collected following treatment. Comparison group data for self-esteem and anxiety were provided by a non-random sample of 35 girls with no known history of sexual abuse. Results indicated that following group therapy, self-esteem increased and anxiety and behaviour problems decreased. Comparison group data further supported the effectiveness of group treatment in improving the self-esteem of sexually abused girls. Social validity reports of children and parents also suggested that treatment was helpful and worthwhile. Implications of the findings are discussed as are difficulties encountered in conducting treatment outcome research with children who have been sexually abused.linicians and researchers involved in the areas of child C protection and child mental health acknowledge that the sexual abuse of children is a growing and serious problem (Briere, 1988;Conte and Schuerman, 1987; HiebertMurphy, De Luca and Runtz, 1992). A recent prevalence study (Finkelhor, Hotaling, Lewis and Smith, 1990) found that 27% of adult females and 16% of adult males reported a history of childhood sexual abuse. In all likelihood, these figures underestimate the true prevalence rate, because some cases of childhood sexual abuse are never disclosed or reported.The literature suggests that numerous short-and longterm negative consequences may result from a child having
The effects of a variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement on pedaling a a stationary exercise bicycle were examined. Three obese and three nonobese 11-year-old boys were individually tested five times weekly for approximately 12 weeks. A changing-criterion design was used in which each successive criterion was increased over mean performance rate in the previous phase by approximately 15%. The contingencies of the successive criteria resulted in systematic increases in rate of exercise for all children. Final variable-ratio rates were higher than those under fixed ratios found in previous research, with rates for 2 of the 3 obese boys approximating those of the nonobese.
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