Child Sexual Abuse ; Rorschach ; Special Score ; Traumatic Content Index(TC/R)
Abstract
This study aims to assess the utility of Rorschach test in detecting of sexual abuse, and the differences of psychological aftereffects according to demographic datum and abuse characteristics. Participants were forty-five school-aged girls that identified for sexual abuse and thirty-three school-aged psychiatric outpatients without sexual abuse history. Their Rorschach responses were scored on Comprehensive System(Exner, 1993), and Special scores were obtained. In addition, the Trauma Content and Trauma Content Index(Mor, AG, An, Bl, Sx, TC/R)(Armstrong & Loewenstein, 1990) were used. In result, it could not discriminate sexually abused children from nonsexually abused psychiatric patients. Repeatedly abused children showed significantly more depression, negative self image, impairment of body image than episodic abused children and their nonabused counterparts. And, there were significant differences according to types of perpetrators. Strange perpetrator group was revealed more severe impairment than acquainted perpetrator group. Both abused group and clinical group were higher special score`s positive rates than American normative data on Exner and Weiner(1995). In summary, Rorschach test provided important informations about psychological aftereffects due to sexual abuse, but it couldn`t sufficiently/effectively discriminate between sexually abused group form nonabused psychiatric patients. The implication and limitation are discussed.