BIO

I am a sophomore at Florida State University studying psychology and women's studies. I am currently a research assistant to my mentor Darrian McKiernan on her project studying adult survivors of child sexual abuse and their experiences with parent disclosure responses. Throughout the remaining years of my undergraduate career, I hope to continue gaining research experience in clinical and/or social psychology. After graduating, I plan to further my education in pursuit of a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I hope to ultimately reach a career in counseling, working specifically with survivors of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

Adult Survivors’ of CSA Experiences with Parent Disclosure Response

Abstract

Childhood Sexual Abuse, or CSA, is a fairly common occurrence in both men and women, with 25% of women and 15% of men reporting CSA experiences (Dube, et al.).While some literature examines disclosure as an important aspect of understanding CSA, the existing literature on the topic lacks information regarding the impact of an individual’s disclosure to a parent or parent figure specifically. This information is an incredibly vital component to the development of CSA treatment and prevention methods, and is a topic that has unfortunately been neglected, creating a barrier in the ongoing effort to learn more about CSA treatment and prevention (McKiernan, 2023). This study examines CSA disclosure to a parent or parent figure and the response to that disclosure. More specifically, it examines how these disclosure responses are perceived by these individuals, and how these perceptions influence the relationship between these individuals and their parents or parent figures. Fifteen individuals who had experienced CSA and chose to later disclose their experiences to a parent or parent figure were interviewed with the goal of understanding the effects of the response to their disclosure. The study found that responses that were perceived as negative led to a significant negative impact on the relationship or a complete hindrance of the relationship. Responses that were perceived as positive tend to lead to strengthening of these relationships. This shows that how CSA survivors perceive disclosure responses from their parent or parent figure has a significant impact on their relationship with these individuals.

Keywords: Adult CSA Disclosure