Impact of sexual abuse on children - Essay Example

Impact of Sexual Abuse on Children ID No. Impact of Sexual Abuse on Children The study “The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on later Sexual Victimization among Runaway Youth” conducted by Tyler et al. focused on sexual abuse at home and later on the streets of 372 homeless and runaway children and adolescents in Seattle, USA (151). It seeks to determine the relationship of sexual abuse experienced by the subjects at home with the sexual abuse they experienced in the streets (151). It also establishes the effect of gender of the abused on the perpetration of sexual abuse (151).

This study is important in psychology because it contributed to the expansion of the knowledge in the field and strengthened the theories on previous researches on the psychological effects sexual abuse has upon children and adolescents. The children have low regard on themselves or hostile and aggressive. Their behaviors manifest on both extremes. They are also afflicted with “negative developmental outcomes” such as depression, low self-esteem, anger, promiscuity, etc. (152). Sexual abuse affects the mental outlook of the abused towards themselves, other people, the institutions and society in general, especially for those who experienced it regularly or for a longer duration (152-153).

Interview is a qualitative approach used in social sciences, but it is the primary research method utilized in gathering data for this study. However, the data gathered from the subjects were analyzed using quantitative parameters. Thus, it can be said that the research design used both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. The quantitative approach is used to quantify the information gathered from the subjects (e.g. frequency of commission). Through interview, the trained interviewers asked the subjects the frequency of experiencing certain acts such as the number of times an adult has touched or kissed him or her sexually (162).

An accepted formula, such as the Pearson correlation coefficients (r), was used in the analysis of the tabulated results (162). The researchers used the Risk Amplification Model formulated by Whitbeck et al. (1999; 153) that presents a mode of understanding the life histories of the youth and the Hypothesized Model (promoted by several researches) which hypothesizes on the positive and negative effects of sexual abuse experienced by a child at a young age (155). The interviewers were young trained workers with sufficient skills and knowledge on street children (158).

According to the researchers, random sampling among homeless population cannot be done “since unbiased enumeration is not realistic” (158). In addition to locale interviewing, the researchers also used “intercept” to gain access to the subjects (158). In the intercept, the trained interviewers approached subjects between 13 to 21 years old in the areas where the homeless and runaway youth frequented. An initial “eligibility” interview (i.e. should be between the age group, can understand and speak English, have no stable residence at the time) is conducted to determine if the youth would qualify as a subject (158).

Also eligible are those not living with a group home for 45 days or more and those living in a group home for more than 45 days (158-159). Bias is reduced through the use of trained interviewers and outreach workers, as well as the length of the interview (lasted for two years) (158). Since many of the subjects were minors, ethical considerations and standards should be strictly followed. One ethical approach is to ask for consent to interview the homeless children from the locales that provide services to these youth (158).

By utilizing expert interviewers, the rights and privacy of the respondents are fully protected, as well as the confidentially of identity and information disclosed. Work Cited Tyler, Kimberly A., et al., “The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on later Sexual Victimization among Runaway Youth.” Journal of Research on Adolescence 11.2 (2001): 151-176. 27 March 2011. .