@article{ref1,
title="Depression, developmental level and disclosure in sexually abused children",
journal="South African medical journal SAMJ",
year="1997",
author="Pillay, A. L. and van der Veen, M. B.",
volume="87",
number="12",
pages="1688-1691",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between sexual abuse disclosure, developmental level and psychopathology in children. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of case records, using chi-square and t-tests for statistical significance. SETTING: Child and Adolescent Unit, Midlands Hospital, Pietermaritzburg. SUBJECTS: One hundred children consecutively admitted for all types of mental health problems. OUTCOME MEASURES: Diagnostic evaluations were made using the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edition, revised). RESULTS: Forty of the 100 children had been sexually abused, but 14 (35%) of the abused children did not disclose their abuse until after admission. The post-admission disclosure group had a significantly higher mean age (13.71 years) than the pre-admission disclosure group (10.96 years). Also, significantly more post-admission disclosure children received a diagnosis of major depressive disorder than their pre-admission disclosure counterparts. CONCLUSION: The study highlights the issue of sexual abuse disclosure and its relationship to depression and developmental level. Internal psychological and developmental mechanisms appear to influence the disclosure/non-disclosure of sexual abuse.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0038-2469",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}