Citation

Fegert JM. Z. Kinder. Jugendpsychiatr. 1995; 23(1): 9-19.

Vernacular Title

Kinderpsychiatrische Begutachtung und die Debatte um den Missbrauch mit dem

Affiliation

Abteilung für Psychiatrie und Neurologie des Kindes- und Jugendalters, Freien Universität Berlin.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, Verlag Hans Huber)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7771125

Abstract

The current discussion on false allegations in sexual abuse cases has led to a polarization in the views expressed about the credibility of children. Some authors even speak of a "child sexual accuse syndrome" or of a "sexual abuse allegation in divorce" (SAID) syndrome. A phenomenological analysis of the multiple reasons for misinterpretations is presented. Instead of stressing the importance only of false positives in child sexual abuse questions, an attempt is made to describe reasons for false negatives. Based on a retrospective analysis of 50 consecutive child psychiatric experts in connection with court cases, there does not appear to be an increase in false accusations. Rather, only about one third of the cases even involved suspected sexual abuse. Sexual abuse allegations were much more frequent in girls than in boys. Of 20 abuse allegations we judge four to be false allegations. In only one of these cases, that of an adolescent girl who had been abused in childhood, was the false allegation intended.

Language: de