A STUDY ON THE INFORMATION TRANSFER AND LONG-TERM PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE.

Children who experience sexual abuse often face severe challenges in seeking help and disclosing their traumatic experiences. Objectives - to investigate critical aspects of information transfer, help-seeking behavior and the long-term psychological impact of child sexual abuse. This was a pilot study done on 114 victims of child sexual abuse. The study participants filled a semi-structured proforma through social media using Google forms. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study carried out using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) version 28. This pilot study on 114 child sexual abuse victims reveals critical insights. Only 15.8% confided in parents, while 37.7% turned to friends. Shockingly, 46.5% kept their ordeal hidden. Disturbingly, only 8.8% sought professional help. The impact on adult life was profound, with 70.2% reporting personal effects. Regrettably, 24.6% resorted to self-harm. Insights on reasons were stark: 63.1% felt defenseless, 23.7% lacked awareness, and 5.3% blamed lax legislation. Encouragingly, 86% actively raised awareness. The study provides a compelling view of child sexual abuse survivors, and emphasizes the need for improved communication within families, accessible support services, and educational initiatives.

Evaluating the association of childhood sexual abuse with the development of irritable bowel syndrome later in life: A systematic review.

Objective: To review available medical literature to elucidate the association between childhood sexual abuse and the development of irritable bowel syndrome later in life. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted from January to August 2022 and comprised a literature search on Medline (via PubMed), Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for relevant studies published between 2001 and 2021. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to determine the quality of the studies. Data on the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome were meta-analysed using a Mantel-Haenszel random-effects model in RevMan 5.4.1. RESULTS: Of the 7 observational studies analyzed in detail, 5 (71.4%) had a case-control design, and 2 (28.6%) were crosssectional studies. Overall, there were 3156 subjects. The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome in the childhood sexual abuse group was 51.86% (334/644), while it was 36.74% (923/2512) in the non-childhood sexual abuse group. The pooled odds ratio, indicating the association between childhood sexual abuse and irritable bowel syndrome, was 1.87 (95% confidence interval: 1.56-2.26). The study quality was rated as good in 3 (42.8%) cases, fair in 3 (42.8%), and poor in 1 (14.3%). Conclusion: Childhood sexual abuse was found to be significantly associated with the development of irritable bowel syndrome later in life, further strengthening the argument that childhood sexual abuse can lead to long-term detriments extending into adulthood. However, there was no existing literature found that stratified other aspects of irritable bowel syndrome, including symptom severity and childhood sexual abuse being the exclusive cause of irritable bowel syndrome.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy vs. pharmacological intervention in adults with fibromyalgia related to childhood sexual abuse: prospective, randomized clinical trial.

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic pain syndrome characterized by disruptions in pain processing within the central nervous system. It exhibits a high prevalence among patients with a history of traumatic experiences, notably childhood sexual abuse (CSA). This study compared the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to the current pharmacological standard of care for individuals suffering from CSA-related FMS. Forty-eight participants diagnosed with FMS and a history of CSA were randomly assigned to either the HBOT group (60 sessions of 100% oxygen at 2 ATA for 90 min, with air breaks every 5 min) or the medication (MED) group (FDA-approved medications, Pregabalin and Duloxetine). The primary endpoint was the Fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) score, while secondary endpoints encompassed emotional status and daily functioning questionnaires, as well as pain thresholds and conditioned pain modulation tests. Brain activity was evaluated through single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Results revealed a significant group-by-time interaction for the FIQ score favoring HBOT over MED (p < 0.001), with a large effect size (Cohen's d = - 1.27). Similar findings were observed in emotional symptoms and functional measures. SPECT imaging demonstrated an increase in activity in pre-frontal and temporal brain areas, which correlated with symptoms improvement. In conclusion, HBOT exhibited superior benefits over medications in terms of physical, functional, and emotional improvements among FMS patients with a history of CSA. This associated with increased activity in pre-frontal and temporal brain areas, highlighting the neuroplasticity effect of HBOT.

Adapting a selective parent-focused child sexual abuse prevention curriculum for a universal audience: A pilot study.

Parents are an obvious, but underutilized player in the prevention of child sexual abuse (CSA). A handful of universal parent-focused prevention programs have emerged, however, the evidence for these programs is mixed and the programs suffer ubiquitously from barriers to implementation (e.g., poor engagement, low participation) thereby limiting public health impact. To combat these barriers and improve evidence, researchers previously developed and tested a selective parent-focused CSA prevention program. While promising, the selective approach still leaves a gap in the prevention landscape-parents from the universal audience. However, there appear to be no standardized methods to inform this type of adaptation-interventions designed as universal or selective have primarily been delivered as such. This study sought to adapt the selective curriculum for a universal audience and examined the acceptability and feasibility of the program for evaluation in a future trial. Using mixed methods, N = 31 parents (i.e., primary caregiver for a child under 13) completed pre- and post-workshop surveys followed by a brief individual interview conducted via Zoom. Interviews, coded using content analysis methods, focused on three themes: parents as agents of prevention (e.g., prior action, confidence), curriculum (e.g., content, design), and engagement (e.g., future marketing and promotion). Overall participants' mean score on CSA-related awareness and intention to use protective behavioral strategies increased. The participants found the curriculum highly acceptable noting strengths in the content and design. All told, the results of this pilot study suggest the acceptability and feasibility of examining the efficacy of the universal parent-focused curriculum in a larger trial. Procedural challenges, such as bots in recruitment, identify areas of caution in design of the larger trial and a roadmap for others seeking to adapt selective programs for universal audiences.

Adaptation of the Child sexual abuse myth scale to Turkish culture: A reliability and validity study.

This study aims to analyze the reliability and validity of the Child Sexual Abuse Myth Scale (CSAMS) in Turkish society. This methodological and cross-sectional study was conducted with 334 individuals between the ages 19 to 65. Data were collected through the Personal Information Form and the Child Sexual Abuse Myth Scale. Content Validity Ratio values of the scale items in the study ranged between 0.500 and 1.00, and the Content Validity Index was found to be 0.68. Exploratory Factor Analysis was appropriate based on Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy (KMO = 0.809) and Barlett's Test of Sphericity (X2 = 1269, p < 0.001). Factor Analysis resulted in 4 sub-scales (Accusation, Causality, Normalization, and Sexist Approach). Item factor loads of the scale were found to range between 0.501 and 0.839, and the total explained variance was 59.4 %. Pearson correlation coefficients of all the items ranged between 0.32 and 0.60, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.81. Accusation, Normalization, and Sexist Approach sub-scale scores were found to increase with age. Sub-scale scores were found to demonstrate significant differences by gender, marital status, education level, working or not, income level, family type, number of siblings, and number of children (p < 0.05). The findings of this study show that the CSAMS is valid and reliable for Turkish culture in its 14-item and 4 sub-scale form.

Comparing perceptions of individuals who sexually offend against children versus adults.

OBJECTIVE: We examined how the age of the victim influences the public's risk assessment and punishment attitudes for individuals who have sexually offended and whether actuarial feedback influences these ratings. HYPOTHESES: (1) Risk ratings for child victim vignettes would be higher than ratings for adult victim vignettes. This effect would be driven by higher ratings for lower risk individuals. (2) Because of the increased stigma associated with individuals with child victim sexual abuse convictions, participants who rated this subgroup would be less likely than those who rated adult victim vignettes to revise their initial risk ratings. (3) Dispositional placements for the individuals in vignettes with child victims would be more punitive than for those with adult victims, both before and after feedback. METHOD: Participants (N = 389, 18-77 years, 51.7% male, 73.0% White) read five vignettes of individuals incarcerated for a sexual offense at five different risk levels and with either child or adult victims. They made judgments about recidivism risk and postprison dispositions and then received actuarial feedback and made the ratings again. RESULTS: Risk ratings for child victim vignettes were higher than ratings for adult victim vignettes, particularly for cases of average risk and below (η²p = .17). Participants were equally likely to revise initial risk ratings for child and adult victim vignettes (η²p = .01). Dispositional placements for child victim vignettes were significantly more punitive than for adult victim vignettes both before and after feedback, especially for the lower risk individuals (η²p = .07). CONCLUSIONS: Although judgments of risk and disposition toward individuals who sexually offend can be adjusted regardless of victim type, there is a more severe bias against individuals with child victims. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Executive functioning in child victims of sexual abuse: A multi-informant comparative study.

BACKGROUND: Research examining the association between child sexual abuse and executive functions is limited. Yet, exposure to traumatic situations at a young age has been associated with changes in the prefrontal cortex, which hosts executive functions (Wesarg et al., 2020). These functions are crucial for social adaptation, as they make it possible to inhibit maladaptive behavior and respond flexibly to the demands of the environment. As middle childhood is a sensitive period for the development of self-regulatory abilities, exploring executive functioning in school-age children could provide potential intervention targets (Dajani & Uddin, 2015). OBJECTIVE: Using multiple informants, this study compared executive functioning of sexually abused children to that of non-sexually victimized children and examined whether the differences were moderated by sex. METHODS: The sample consisted of 225, 6-to-12 years old children with a history of child sexual abuse (CSA) and 97 children without a history of CSA. Children completed two executive functioning tasks measuring cognitive flexibility and inhibition. Parents and teachers completed questionnaires evaluating children's executive functioning. RESULTS: In comparison to non-abused children, children with a history of CSA displayed greater executive functioning difficulties as assessed by both informant-reported questionnaires and self-completed tasks. Significant interaction effects were found, such as CSA predicting lower inhibition and executive functions at school in boys but not in girls. CONCLUSION: This study is a first step in understanding the association between CSA and executive functioning and offers a clearer picture of the differential impact of sexual trauma according to children's sex.

Trauma behind the keyboard: Exploring disparities in child sexual abuse materials exposure and mental health factors among investigators and forensic examiners - A network analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite acknowledging the detrimental impact of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) exposure on the mental and physical well-being of investigators and forensic examiners, there is a need for comprehensive exploration into the complex relationship between CSAM exposure, its various dimensions, mental health (i.e., anxiety, depression, and PTSD), and burnout, as well as the presence of positive attitudes towards the job. OBJECTIVE: To understand how CSAM exposure, mental health and burnout interconnect and cluster within distinct networks of police investigators and forensic examiners. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Police investigators and forensic examiners from across the United States who were exposed to CSAM as part of their professions (N = 470). METHODS: Participants, recruited through connections with the National Criminal Justice Training Center, completed an anonymous online survey. RESULTS: The network analysis revealed differences in centrality between investigators and forensic examiners, particularly in their associations with exposure factors and mental health variables. Edges invariance tests showed differences in the strength of these associations, with some factors being more strongly linked to PTSD avoidance symptoms among investigators and others among forensic examiners. Stability analyses suggested potentially greater heterogeneity among investigators, while both groups displayed high stability in other centrality indices. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to our comprehension of the distinct experiences and challenges faced by CSAM investigators and forensic examiners, and specifically the nuanced disparities between CSAM investigators and forensic examiners in terms of their exposure to CSAM content and the associated mental health factors. These insights highlight the imperative need for tailored support mechanisms and interventions that can effectively address the unique challenges encountered by individuals working tirelessly in this critical field.

Sexual exploitation of young men: Background characteristics and needs from a life-course perspective.

BACKGROUND: Sexually exploited young men are prevalent, yet underrepresented in clinical practice, policy and research. There are multiple barriers that often prevent young men to disclose and to seek or receive support, such as gender norms, limited awareness of victimization and feelings of guilt and shame. OBJECTIVE: By gaining more insight into the background characteristics of young men who experienced sexual exploitation and their needs, this study aims to raise awareness and to better inform policymakers, care- and educational professionals on adequate prevention and intervention efforts. METHODS: Twenty-six young men (age 14-32) who experienced sexual exploitation or other forms of sexual violence in their youth or were at high-risk, participated in this qualitative study that was conducted in The Netherlands. By means of semi-structured interviews and case-file analyses, data was collected to identify risk and protective factors in their life-course and support needs. RESULTS: Several vulnerabilities (e.g. previous experiences of abuse and neglect, household dysfunction, social rejection, running away, substance use) and a lack of positive and supportive relationships led young men into high-risk situations. Among these were involvement in pay dates, criminality and having to survive from day to day, which contributed to victimization. Prevailing gender norms and experiences of stigmatization were often a barrier to express vulnerabilities and to disclose victimization. There was a wide variety in support needs, including peer-to-peer support, therapy, support with day-to-day practices and anonymous support. CONCLUSIONS: These results will contribute to adequate prevention and trauma-informed intervention strategies that meet the unique needs of young men at risk for, or victim of sexual exploitation.

Online sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the Philippines: An exploratory study of outcomes after reintegration into the community.

BACKGROUND: This study examined psychosocial outcomes for Filipino survivors of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify relationships between demographic variables, self-reported and caregiver-reported trauma symptoms, and psychosocial functioning among Filipino youth who have experienced OSAEC. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This study utilized inclusion criteria of survivors of OSAEC between ages 12 and 18 who received residential care and were reintegrated into the community for at least one year (N = 48). Participants were in care at shelters associated with Project PAVE in the Philippines. METHODS: As measured by three assessment tools, relationships between demographic variables and psychosocial functioning were explored for risk and protective factors of trauma symptoms and psychosocial functioning to better understand this population's needs post-integration. RESULTS: Results suggest survivors continue to experience psychosocial symptoms after reintegration. Caregivers reported survivors reintegrated outside the home had significantly higher externalizing symptoms (MR = 6.67; H(3) = 14.85, p = .002, η2 = 0.27) compared to survivors reintegrated within the home and survivors who trafficked themselves to have higher internalizing symptoms (MR = 16.79; H(3) = 11.80; p = .008, η2 = 0.20) than survivors trafficked by a relative. Caregivers reported survivors who resided in the shelter for one month or less to have higher internalizing symptoms (MR = 20.12; H(2) = 11.06; p = .004; η2 = 0.20) than survivors who resided in the shelter for six months or longer. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of further research to better understand the needs of this vulnerable population in order to guide the most effective intervention, aftercare, and reintegration programs to support survivors and their caregivers.

Attorneys' experiences, perceptions, and plea recommendations in child sexual abuse cases.

OBJECTIVE: We examined attorneys' experiences, perceptions, and decisions regarding plea recommendations in child sexual cases. HYPOTHESES: We hypothesized that characteristics of the child (age, relationship to alleged perpetrator) and the report (timing of disclosure, consistency across reports) would affect attorneys' perceptions of evidence strength, likelihood of conviction, and plea recommendations. METHOD: We collected data from a national sample of actively practicing prosecutors (n = 217) and defense attorneys (n = 251) who had experience with child abuse cases. They averaged 18 years of experience practicing law, were slightly more likely to be men (53%) than women, and primarily identified as White, non-Hispanic (86%). In Part 1, attorneys answered general questions about their experiences in child sexual abuse cases. In Part 2, they reviewed materials from a hypothetical case that varied the child's age (5 years, 11 years), the child's relationship to the alleged perpetrator (familial, nonfamilial), the timing of the child's initial disclosure (1 week, 6 months), and the consistency of the child's report (inconsistent, consistent). They rated the evidence strength, estimated the likelihood of conviction, and assessed whether they would recommend that the defendant accept a plea offer or proceed to trial. RESULTS: In Part 1, attorneys reported that they often have access to police reports, information about the alleged perpetrator, and evidence from the child when making plea recommendations. They said that it was important to know about prior allegations against the alleged perpetrator or by the child when assessing their credibility. They reported that the length of the sentence, sex offender registration requirement, and possibility of time served guided their plea recommendations. In Part 2, the consistency of the child's report influenced their decisions the most; they rated the evidence against the defendant as stronger when the child was consistent across reports than when the child was inconsistent. Additionally, their perceptions of evidence strength drove their recommendations. When the evidence against the defendant was stronger, attorneys thought that the defendant was more likely to be convicted at trial; thus, prosecutors were less willing and defense attorneys were more willing to recommend a plea. CONCLUSION: Similar to other cases, evidence strength and the perceived likelihood of conviction drive attorneys' decisions to offer or recommend a plea to a defendant in a child sexual abuse case. The consistency of the child's report plays a major role in predicting perceptions of evidence strength. Future research is needed to determine which other factors in child sexual abuse cases may also predict attorneys' perceptions and plea recommendations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Adult Female Sexual Function and Sexual Distress: A Systematic Review and Meta- Analysis. / Çocukluk Çaginda Cinsel Istismara Maruz Kalmanin Kadin Cinsel Islevi ve Cinsel Sikintisi Üzerine Etkisi: Bir Sistematik Gözden Geçirme ve Meta-Analiz.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, it was aimed to examine the impacts of exposure to childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on women's sexual function and sexual distress. METHOD: In this systematic review and meta-analysis study, eight international (EBSCO, Psyc-Info, Proquest, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Ovid, Web of Science) and two national electronic databases (Dergipark and Thesis Database of the Turkish Council of Higher Education) were searched. Studies reporting outcomes of sexual function and sexual distress in women with and without a history of CSA were included. The data were synthesized by meta-analysis and narrative methods. RESULTS: Two dissertations and five research articles published between 2010 and 2021 were included in the study. In some studies that were not included in the meta-analysis, it was reported that there was no difference in the prevalence of sexual dysfunction, and sexual satisfaction in women with and without a history of CSA. Meta-analysis results demonstrated lower sexual function (sexual arousal, MD: -0.83, p<0.001; sexual desire, MD: -0.55, p<0.001; lubrication, MD: -0.78, p<0.01; pain, MD: -0.52, p<0.001) and more sexual distress (SMD: -0.79, p<0.05) in women with CSA history. CONCLUSION: This study showed that CSA negatively affects female sexual function and increases sexual distress. Healthcare professionals should be aware that women with a CSA history may have worse sexual functions and more sexual distress. More research is needed on the role of CSA in the etiology of sexual function problems and its possible mechanisms of action.

Originalbeiträge (Originals). Der Zusammenhang zwischen der Strukturachse nach OPD-2 und dem statischen/dynamischen Risiko für das Begehen von sexuellem Kindesmissbrauch bei 30 Männern mit sexuellem Interesse an Minderjährigen aus dem Dunkelfeld ­ eine Pilotstudie.

The Relation between the OPD-2 Axis Structure and the Static/Dynamic Risk for Committing Child Sexual Abuse in a Sample of 30 Men with Sexual Interest in Minors from the Dark Field - A Pilot Study Objectives: The present pilot study examined the relation between the OPD-2 axis structure of 30 men with a sexual interest in minors from the dark field and their static and dynamic risk factors for committing child sexual abuse. METHODS: Two independent raters estimated the structural dimensions based on notes from outpatient psychotherapy sessions using the OPD-2 structure checklist.The interrater reliability of the structural data was moderate. Pearson/Spearman correlations between these structural data and the previously assessed static and dynamic risk were calculated. RESULTS: Attachment was the only structural dimension to correlate significantly positively moderately with the dynamic risk.The less integrated the structural dimension of attachment was, the more pronounced the dynamic risk was. CONCLUSIONS: The correlation between the structural dimension of attachment and the dynamic riskmay provide first indications of the potential of structure-oriented psychotherapeutic interventions formodifying dynamic risk in individuals with a sexual interest in minors from the dark field. The limitations of the methodological approach constrain the significance of the findings, prompting further research on the relation between structure and risk.

Investigating child sexual abuse material availability, searches, and users on the anonymous Tor network for a public health intervention strategy.

Tor is widely used for staying anonymous online and accessing onion websites; unfortunately, Tor is popular for distributing and viewing illicit child sexual abuse material (CSAM). From 2018 to 2023, we analyse 176,683 onion domains and find that one-fifth share CSAM. We find that CSAM is easily available using 21 out of the 26 most-used Tor search engines. We analyse 110,133,715 search sessions from the Ahmia.fi search engine and discover that 11.1% seek CSAM. When searching CSAM by age, 40.5% search for 11-year-olds and younger; 11.0% for 12-year-olds; 8.2% for 13-year-olds; 11.6% for 14-year-olds; 10.9% for 15-year-olds; and 12.7% for 16-year-olds. We demonstrate accurate filtering for search engines, introduce intervention, show a questionnaire for CSAM users, and analyse 11,470 responses. 65.3% of CSAM users first saw the material when they were children themselves, and half of the respondents first saw the material accidentally, demonstrating the availability of CSAM. 48.1% want to stop using CSAM. Some seek help through Tor, and self-help websites are popular. Our survey finds commonalities between CSAM use and addiction. Help-seeking correlates with increasing viewing duration and frequency, depression, anxiety, self-harming thoughts, guilt, and shame. Yet, 73.9% of help seekers have not been able to receive it.

Necesidades de Intervención en Prisión con Internos con Pedofilia / Intervention Needs in Prison With Pedophile Inmates

En prisión existen programas específicos de tratamiento para condenados por agresión sexual a menores; sin embargo, quienes además tienen pedofilia, requieren una atención específica. El objetivo del presente estudio es doble: primero, ofrecer una propuesta de intervención específica para pedofilia en el entorno penitenciario basada en la evidencia científica disponible y complementaria al Programa de Control de la Agresión Sexual y después, justificar dicha propuesta a través del caso de un interno con pedofilia. En concreto, proponemos una intervención individual y centrada en personas con pedofilia; trabajando la baja autoestima, evaluando la ideación suicida y reestructurando las distorsiones cognitivas con menores, facilitando la creación de relaciones personales funcionales con adultos, evaluando la polivictimización pasada y su posible influencia sobre la conducta sexual posterior, proporcionar a los internos psicoeducación sobre pedofilia; atender de forma específica las fantasías sexuales con menores, evitando las conductas disexuales y la eliminación del consumo de material abusivo.(AU)

There are specific treatment programs in prisons for those convicted of sexually assaulting minors; however, those who also have pedophilia require specific attention. The aim of this study is twofold: first, to offer a specific intervention proposal for pedophilia in the prison setting based on the available scientific evidence, and complementary to the Sexual Assault Control Program, and second, to justify this proposal through the case of an inmate with pedophilia. Specifically, we propose an individual intervention focused on people with pedophilia; working on low self-esteem, assessing suicidal ideation and restructuring cognitive distortions with minors, facilitating the creation of functional personal relationships with adults, assessing past polyvictimization and its possible influence on subsequent sexual behavior, providing inmates with psychoeducation on pedophilia; specifically addressing sexual fantasies with minors, avoiding dyssexual behavior, and eliminating the consumption of abusive material.(AU)

How Risky is Online Sexting by Minors?

What proportion of minors who engage in sexting find themselves involved in an episode of image abuse? The data come from a US nationally representative sample of 2639 respondents aged 18-28 reporting about experiences before the age of 18, of whom 23% had engaged in sexting as minors. Among those who sexted the rate of image abuse was 37%, a risk ratio of 13.2 compared to those who did not engage in sexting. For females who sexted the victimization rate was particularly high, but sexting increased risk for females and males. Among the minors who only sexted occasionally (vs those who sexted frequently) the rate of abuse was still high (35%) and the reduction in risk modest. When we controlled for other background and demographic risk factors like adversities and prior sexual abuse, it did not substantially reduce the large risk entailed with sexting. Various harm reduction strategies may be needed to supplement messages about dangers and risks.

A Systematic Scoping Review of Indigenous People's Experience of Healing and Recovery from Child Sexual Abuse.

Child sexual abuse is a form of violence that occurs across nations and cultures. Collective efforts are being made to address this issue within many Indigenous communities. In Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities have expressed the need for cultural models of healing child sexual abuse. A preliminary exploration of the relevant literature shows a lack of synthesis with regard to the current evidence base. This protocol outlines the methods and background for a scoping review that aims to explore and collate the broad scope of literature related to healing from child sexual abuse within an Indigenous context. The proposed review utilises a 'population, concept, and context structure' from the Joanna Briggs Institute to explore the broad scope of the literature within a scoping review framework. The target population is Indigenous survivors of child sexual abuse, including Indigenous populations from six distinct regions: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from Australia; Maori peoples from Aotearoa (New Zealand); First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples from Canada; Native American peoples from North America; Native peoples from Alaska; and the Sámi peoples of the Sápmi region in Northern Europe. The concept within the review is healing from an Indigenous perspective, which includes a broad range of processes related to both recovery and personal growth. The contexts explored within this review are any context in which healing from child sexual abuse can occur. This may include processes related to disclosure and accessing services, specific interventions or programs for survivors of child sexual abuse, as well as broader non-specific healing programs and personal experiences of healing without intervention. The scoping review will use search strings with broad inclusion and exclusion criteria to capture the potential breadth of perspectives. The search will be conducted across several academic databases and will also include an extensive search for grey literature. This protocol establishes the proposed benefits of this scoping review.

Attachment and mentalization among survivors of sexual abuse: A questionnaire survey.

Knowledge of the long-term consequences of child sexual abuse (CSA) is crucial to further develop preventive strategies and treatment programs. The aim of this study is to investigate attachment and mentalizing ability in people who have experienced CSA. Attachment style, measured with the Experiences in Close Relationships-Relationship Structures Questionnaire (ECR-RS), and mentalization, measured with the Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (RFQ), were examined through a quantitative questionnaire survey in a sample of 49 individuals who had experienced CSA, and a control group of 612 with no history of CSA. The CSA group was, to a greater extent, identified with insecure attachment style. In addition, participants with insecure attachment were more likely to use hypomentalizing compared to individuals identified with a secure attachment. No significant association was found between attachment style and the relationship between the victim and the offender or the length of traumatic episodes.