J Korean Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry.  2014 Dec;25(4):217-223. 10.5765/jkacap.2014.25.4.217.

Impact of Trauma due to Sexual Violence on Psychopathology and Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents

• Kim HY
• Hwang JW
• Choi SM
• Lee HK
• Kim BN

• KMID: 2291594
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5765/jkacap.2014.25.4.217

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study was conducted in order to investigate the influence of sexual trauma on the psychopathology and quality of life of children and adolescents in Korea.
METHODS
Twenty-seven children and adolescents and their caretakers who visited the Kangwon Sunflower Center participated in a cross-sectional study. Participants completed the Korean version of Kiddie-Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia-Present and Lifetime Version, Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), and Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form-50 (CHQ-PF-50). Their scores were compared with those of a age and sex-matched control group of 27 healthy children and adolescents.
RESULTS
Victims of sexual violence showed higher t score in Withdrawn, Social problems, Delinquent behavior, Externalizing problems, and Total problems in CBCL, compared with control group. In CHQ-PF-50, there were lower scores on Bodily pain/discomfort, Behavior, Mental health, Time impact in parents, and Family activities subscales in victims of sexual violence. While Behavior and Family activities subscale showed negative correlations with Delinquent behavior, Externalizing problems, and Total problems in CBCL. Mental health subscale showed negative correlations with Social problems, Delinquent behavior, Externalizing problems, and Total problems. In addition, Time impact on parent subscale showed a negative association with Delinquent behavior in CBCL.
CONCLUSION
The current study provided evidence suggesting that victims of sexual violence had a higher level of psychopathology and lower level of quality of life.

Keyword

Sexual Violence; Psychopathology; Quality of Life; Child; Adolescent

MeSH Terms

Adolescent*
Checklist
Child Behavior
Child Health
Child*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Gangwon-do
Helianthus
Humans
Korea
Mental Health
Mood Disorders
Parents
Psychopathology*
Quality of Life*
Sex Offenses*
Social Problems
Surveys and Questionnaires