Date of Award

1999

Degree Name

M.A. in Psychology

Department

Department of Psychology

Abstract

This study examined the effects of physical and sexual abuse on internalizing and externalizing behaviors exhibited by the victims of abuse. Two raters completed the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Edelbrock, 1983) for 49 children and adolescents between 11 and 17 years of age who were living in a residential facility. Each child or adolescent was included in one of three groups: (a) physical abuse group, (b) sexual abuse group, and (c) non-abuse group. The internalizing and externalizing scores for the three groups were compared. Because interrater reliability was low for the internalizing scores, a one-way analysis of variance was performed for each rater. The non-abuse group scored significantly lower on internalizing behaviors than the sexual abuse group for both raters, and the physical abuse group scored significantly lower on internalizing behaviors than the sexual abuse group for Rater 1. Interrater reliability was high for the externalizing scores, so a one-way analysis of variance was performed on the combined scores. There were no significant differences between the groups. Although the differences between the groups were not all significant, the rank ordering of the means was consistent with existing studies that have indicated both types of abuse lead to increased internalizing and externalizing behaviors, while sexual abuse is associated more with internalizing behaviors, and physical abuse is associated more with externalizing behaviors

Keywords

Abused children, Abused teenagers, Sexually abused children, Sexually abused teenagers, Behavior disorders in children

Rights Statement

Copyright © 1999, author

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