Marc Tourigny

Prevalence of childhood sexual abuse and timing of disclosure in a representative sample of adults from Quebec.

Objective: Our study sought to explore patterns of disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) in a sample of adult men and women. Method: A telephone survey conducted with a representative sample of adults (n = 804) from Quebec assessed the prevalence of CSA and disclosure patterns. Analyses were carried out to determine whether disclosure groups differed in terms of psychological distress and symptoms of posttraumatic stress, and a logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with prompt disclosure. Results: Prevalence of CSA was 22.1% for women and 9.7% for men. About 1 survivor out of 5 had never disclosed the abuse, with men more likely not to have told anyone, than women. Only 21.2% of adults reported prompt disclosure (within a month of the first abusive event), while 57.5% delayed disclosure (more than 5 years after the first episode). CSA victims who never disclosed the abuse and those who delayed disclosure were more likely to obtain scores of psychological distress and posttraumatic stress achieving clinical levels, compared with adults without a history of CSA. In the multivariate analysis, experiencing CSA involving a perpetrator outside the immediate family and being female were factors independently associated with prompt disclosure. Conclusion: A significant number of adult women and men reported experiencing CSA, and most victims attested to either not disclosing or significantly delaying abuse disclosure.

Predictors of Adult Attitudes Toward Corporal Punishment of Children

This study identifies predictors of favorable attitudes toward spanking. Analyses were performed with survey data collected from a representative sample of 1,000 adults from Quebec, Canada. According to this survey, a majority of respondents endorsed spanking, despite their recognition of potential harm associated with corporal punishment (CP) of children. The prediction model of attitudes toward spanking included demographics, experiencing or witnessing various forms of family violence and abuse in childhood, and perceived frequency of physical injuries resulting from CP. Spanking was the most reported childhood experience (66.4%), and most violence and abuse predictors were significantly and positively correlated. Older respondents who were spanked in childhood and who believed that spanking never or seldom results in physical injuries were the most in favor of spanking. On the other hand, respondents who reported more severe physical violence or psychological abuse in childhood were less in favor of spanking. Findings are discussed in terms of prevention of CP and family coercion cycle.

Prevalence and co-occurrence of violence against children in the Quebec population.

Objective: A literature review on the incidence of different forms of child maltreatment revealed that rates in Australia and Quebec (Canada) were similar. This study sought to determine the prevalence and co‐occurrence of various forms of violence (physical, sexual and psychological) and explore gender and age difference.

Child Physical Abuse With and Without Other Forms of Maltreatment: Dysfunctionality Versus Dysnormality:

The fact that most etiological studies of physical abuse have not taken into account co-occurrence of different forms of maltreatment calls into question the validity of our knowledge on the subject. The aim of this study, therefore, is to compare the etiological patterns of cases of physical abuse reported to Quebec child protective services (CPS) according to whether the abuse occurs alone or co-occurs with other forms of maltreatment. The data are taken from the Quebec Incidence Study (QIS), which examined 4,929 reports investigated by Quebec CPS in the fall of 1998. The cases included 514 children who were physically abused: 269 of them were not subjected to any other type of maltreatment and 245 were also victims of one or two other forms of maltreatment. The survey form provided information on more than 30 characteristics of the children reported, their families, and their parental figures. Bivariate and direct logistic regression analyses revealed that the profile of physical abuse cases varies depending on whether the physical abuse occurs alone (what we are calling dysnormality) or in combination with one or two other forms of maltreatment (dysfunctionality). Those results will help deepen our etiological knowledge of physical abuse and may serve to inspire different types of intervention for the two groups of children.

Comparison of Open versus Closed Group Interventions for Sexually Abused Adolescent Girls

A first aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of an open group therapy for sexually abused teenagers using a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest treatment design. A second aim was to explore whether differential gains were linked to an open versus a closed group format. Results indicate that sexually abused girls involved in an open group therapy showed significant gains relative to teenagers of the control group girls for the majority of the variables considered. Analyses contrasting the two formats of group therapy fail to identify statistical differences suggesting that both open and closed group formats are likely to be associated with the same significant gains for sexually abused teenagers.

Exploration of Recovery Trajectories in Sexually Abused Adolescents

Abstract This study documents recovery status and symptom changes in a one-year follow-up of sexually abused adolescent girls in child protection services in the province of Québec, Canada. Sixteen French-speaking participants completed questionnaires assessing symptoms, types of maltreatment endured, and services received and were interviewed using the Multidimensional Trauma Recovery and Resiliency Interview (MTRR-I), which was in turn rated by interviewers using the companion rating scale, the MTRR. Analyses of one-year follow-up data revealed statistically significant changes towards better functioning on multiple domains and less symptomatology for a majority of the girls interviewed. The recovery status of a minority of research participants seems to have worsened in the interval. The discussion considers these findings and addresses relevancy of the MTRR measures in cases of sexually abused adolescents.

Psychological Maltreatment of Children Reported to Youth Protection Services

ABSTRACT Whereas the negative consequences of the psychological maltreatment of children are now acknowledged, the extent of this phenomenon remains largely unknown. This study presents information collected from child welfare practitioners working in the Province of Quebec on all cases retained for investigation during a three-month period (N= 4775). The study describes the number and characteristics of children who are psychologically maltreated, the co-occurrence of this problem with various other types of maltreatment, and the factors that best distinguish these children from those who have not experienced this type of maltreatment. The findings demonstrate the extent of this problem and indicate that children who have been psychologically maltreated are often victims of other types of maltreatment. The family environment of these children gives cause for great concern.

Les conséquences à long terme de la violence sexuelle, physique et psychologique vécue pendant l'enfance

BACKGROUND The co-occurrence of child victimization experiences is not a rare phenomenon. However, few studies have explored the long-term consequences of such experiences. Empirical studies present important methodological limitations, namely the fact that few studies have documented more than two forms of victimization, that they rely on non representative samples and have not used multivariate analyses. The present study aims to evaluate the specific contribution of each form of child victimization (sexual, physical and psychological) on the outcomes in adulthood. Moreover, the study explores the role of co-occurrence on these symptoms. METHODS A phone survey was conducted with a representative sample of 804 adults from the province of Quebec. Households were randomly selected among those having a telephone. Sociodemographic variables, child victimization experiences (sexual, physical and psychological) and partner violence were evaluated to explore their links with psychological distress, post-traumatic stress symptoms and physical health of participants. RESULTS Higher psychological distress in men is associated with younger age, lower education level and having experienced sexual and physical violence in childhood. For women, psychological distress is linked to younger age, having experienced partner violence, childhood physical and psychological violence. Only experiencing partner violence and childhood sexual and psychological victimization are linked to greater post-traumatic stress symptoms in men and women. Finally, lower education level and childhood sexual and physical victimization increase physical health problems for men, while for women, only lower education level contributes to the prediction. CONCLUSION The results of this study show that experiencing more than one form of childhood victimization increases the negative outcomes in adulthood, underlying the relevance of considering the phenomenon of co-occurring victimization in the elaboration and dissemination of intervention programs.

Characteristics Differentiating Neglected Children from Other Reported Children

The aims of this study were twofold: first, to identify the characteristics that distinguish neglected children from other children reported to youth protection services; and second, to assess the relative importance of each of these characteristics in the differentiation of such children. Researchers analyzed data from the Quebec Incidence Study (QIS), which documented all reports retained for in-depth assessment out of 4,774 reports filed with youth protection services over a 3-month period. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses examined variables on different levels to establish which of the factors linked to the phenomenon of neglect were most significant. Results indicate that neglected children tend to be younger than other reported children, and have a greater frequency of prior referrals and a greater number of learning and development problems; their parents have a greater tendency to have personal, economic, and social problems and childhood histories of maltreatment.

Article originalLes conséquences à long terme de la violence sexuelle, physique et psychologique vécue pendant l’enfancePsychological and health sequelae of childhood sexual, physical and psychological abuse

BACKGROUND The co-occurrence of child victimization experiences is not a rare phenomenon. However, few studies have explored the long-term consequences of such experiences. Empirical studies present important methodological limitations, namely the fact that few studies have documented more than two forms of victimization, that they rely on non representative samples and have not used multivariate analyses. The present study aims to evaluate the specific contribution of each form of child victimization (sexual, physical and psychological) on the outcomes in adulthood. Moreover, the study explores the role of co-occurrence on these symptoms. METHODS A phone survey was conducted with a representative sample of 804 adults from the province of Quebec. Households were randomly selected among those having a telephone. Sociodemographic variables, child victimization experiences (sexual, physical and psychological) and partner violence were evaluated to explore their links with psychological distress, post-traumatic stress symptoms and physical health of participants. RESULTS Higher psychological distress in men is associated with younger age, lower education level and having experienced sexual and physical violence in childhood. For women, psychological distress is linked to younger age, having experienced partner violence, childhood physical and psychological violence. Only experiencing partner violence and childhood sexual and psychological victimization are linked to greater post-traumatic stress symptoms in men and women. Finally, lower education level and childhood sexual and physical victimization increase physical health problems for men, while for women, only lower education level contributes to the prediction. CONCLUSION The results of this study show that experiencing more than one form of childhood victimization increases the negative outcomes in adulthood, underlying the relevance of considering the phenomenon of co-occurring victimization in the elaboration and dissemination of intervention programs.