Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a complex and prevalent problem with devastating long-term consequences for survivors. Despite these consequences, some survivors seem to find a source of meaning and ...fulfillment throughout their recovery process, which may facilitate resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG). However, little is known from the literature about the specific meaning making mechanisms that CSA survivors experience. A scoping review was conducted by searching relevant journals and several online databases such as EbscoHost, Scopus, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Studies published in English and that discussed meaning making as a topic of recovery from CSA in the context of women survivors’ experiences were included, where a total of 57 articles were selected including qualitative (n = 32), quantitative (n = 9), mixed method (n = 9), and review (n = 7) articles. Using thematic analysis, the results of the scoping review found four mechanisms of meaning making and seven sources of meaning describing the meaning making processes of women survivors of CSA. The mechanisms were identified as being benevolent; restoring and empowering the inner self; mobilizing external and social resources; and lastly actively integrating the trauma narrative. This study contributes toward the global knowledge base on meaning making mechanisms of women survivors of CSA by providing the first known summary of studies to date. Future research is recommended to further confirm these findings to inform treatment interventions for women survivors of CSA.
Purpose:
This study evaluated the benefits of a “survivor to thriver” strengths-based group intervention program to facilitate posttraumatic growth in women survivors of child sexual abuse.
Method:
A ...quasi-experimental, one group, pretest, posttest, time-delay design was employed using qualitative methods to evaluate the benefits of the intervention with 10 purposively selected women with a history of child sexual abuse. Six group sessions were conducted as well as a delayed follow-up session. Qualitative data were collected using drawings, narratives, and transcriptions.
Results:
Qualitative thematic content data analysis portrayed enabling processes of PTG such as emotional awareness, decisive action, posttrauma identity, and a healing group context.
Conclusion:
These themes suggest growth outcomes. However, a longitudinal study is recommended to establish efficacy and to inform practice with replicable interventions.
Background: This study forms part of a pilot project, aiming to evaluate the benefits of a programme entitled S2T denoting from Survivor to Thriver, which is a collaborative strengthsbased group ...intervention programme for women survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The objective of the S2T is to enable resilience processes and facilitate posttraumatic growth outcomes. A theory of change was developed to explain how these objectives are met, it outlines the theoretical approach, mediators, primary and secondary outcomes.Aim: To explore emerging resilience processes and posttraumatic growth outcomes in women survivors of childhood sexual abuse after attending the S2T.Setting: Data was collected during group treatment sessions of the S2T group intervention programme with women survivors of childhood sexual abuse.Methods: A quasi-experimental, one group, pretest, posttest, time-delay design was used with eight purposively selected women with a history of childhood sexual abuse, using qualitative methods to evaluate the benefit of this intervention. Nine group treatment sessions and a delayed follow-up session were conducted. A visual participatory technique and transcriptions of group sessions were used to collect qualitative data.Results: Qualitative thematic analysis revealed the following enabling resilience processes: group as healing vehicle of change; changing destructive to constructive rumination; coping strengths and meaning-making. Posttraumatic growth outcomes which evolved were: transforming wounded to healer; a changed life philosophy; excavated spirituality and rebriefing strengths through a posttrauma thriver identity.Conclusions: The themes suggest resilience processes and posttraumatic growth outcomes; a longitudinal study is recommended to establish effectiveness and inform treatment practice.
This study employed qualitative secondary analysis of transcriptions of 16 group treatment sessions with 18 women (average age 30.5 years) who participated in the Survivor to Thriver (S2T) ...collaborative strengths-based group intervention program for women survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in South Africa. Applying an analytical framework, inductive thematic analysis was performed. One immediate loss, namely loss of childhood innocence, and two ongoing losses, the loss of how to interconnect and loss of living life to the fullest, were identified in the data. Findings correlate with studies in developed countries and may contribute to the global knowledge base on this topic and inform further treatment practice. Practice implications and limitations are discussed.
This study reports on the core components of the Survivor to Thriver strengths-based group intervention programme for women who experienced childhood sexual abuse. It advocates a balanced approach ...and draws on an eclectic mix of theories, and has been field tested with two groups of women. An exposition of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings, a description of the context, the role of the expert companion, outcomes and activities of the programme, evaluation methods and standard of care is provided. Finally, critical reflections on the intervention are discussed as well as limitations and the way forward.
This scoping literature review reports on the major themes to emerge from 23 retrospective studies on the trauma-causing dynamics experienced by women survivors of a historical childhood sexual abuse ...(CSA) trauma. We identified the studies from searching the following data bases for the period 1983–2016: EbscoHost (Academic Search Premiere, Africa-Wide Information, E-Journals, ERIC, PsycARTICLES, PsycINFO, SocINDEX), SAePublications, Science Direct, CrossRef (APA PsycNET), Google scholar (ResearchGate), PubMed Central, and Cochrane Reviews. For the selection criteria, we included empirical studies on self-reported trauma-causing dynamics experienced by women survivors, without restriction on method of study. Results from the thematic analysis of findings suggest the women survivors appear to be living with historical traumatic sexualisation, betrayal of trust, social stigmatisation, powerlessness, developmental arrest, and revictimisation. Historical traumas should be considered in counselling support interventions with women self-reporting CSA.
This study reports on the core components of the Survivor to Thriver strengths-based group intervention programme for women who experienced childhood sexual abuse. It advocates a balanced approach ...and draws on an eclectic mix of theories, and has been field tested with two groups of women. An exposition of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings, a description of the context, the role of the expert companion, outcomes and activities of the programme, evaluation methods and standard of care is provided. Finally, critical reflections on the intervention are discussed as well as limitations and the way forward.
Childhood sexual abuse is a complex trauma with unique trauma-causing factors that could have devastating long-term, negative effects on survivors. To date, little attention has been given to loss ...and specifically stigmatized or hidden loss as a unique trauma-causing factor.
Method:
This article reports the findings of a scoping review designed to identify research exploring the losses associated with childhood sexual abuse in women survivors. A systematic search of databases for articles published between 1983 and 2019 were conducted using keywords related to loss and women survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Findings:
Twenty studies were selected for review using predefined inclusion criteria: studies that include adult women survivors of childhood sexual abuse, studies that include child/childhood sexual abuse, studies that include stigmatized loss, studies that indicate stigmatized loss in adult women survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Sources were subject to quality appraisal and data were extracted in line with the review question.
Discussion and Contribution:
Findings acknowledged and extended on Bloom’s model of stigmatized loss and suggested that female survivors of childhood sexual abuse may experience an overall loss of self-efficacy, presenting as a loss of personal agency, interpersonal agency, and sexual agency. The results of this research suggest that loss be considered in support interventions with women self-reporting childhood sexual abuse. It is recommended that further research be conducted to confirm these findings so that they may advocate for inclusion in childhood sexual abuse treatment interventions.
This study investigated the coping behaviours and posttraumatic growth of women with sexual abuse in childhood (CSA) and long-term effects on their psychological well-being in adulthood. Participants ...were 10 women survivors of CSA (ages ranging from 23-48 years). Data on how women resiled, coped and thrived were collected using individual interviews. Interpretative phenomenological analysis were used for data analysis. The data were thematically analyzed. Themes to emerge from the analysis included the importance of positive coping behaviour, evolving alternative life narratives and the development and utilization of inner strengths.
Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a complex trauma with devastating long-term, negative effects on survivors. This study extended the understanding of experiences of women survivors of CSA in relation ...to nonsupportive significant adults documented in literature, as to date, there exists no summary in literature on this particular topic. As such, a scoping review was conducted on publications between 1980 and January 2020. A total of 26 733 were selected for analysis in accordance with the search terms. After duplicates were removed and the exclusion criteria were applied, a total of 58 articles were selected for inclusion in the review. Thematic analysis was conducted on the studies included, and three themes were developed pertaining to the experiences of women survivors of CSA in relation to nonsupportive significant adults. Theme 1 identified nonsupportive behaviors experienced before disclosure or discovery of abuse. Theme 2 identified nonsupportive behaviors experienced during or after disclosure or discovery of abuse. Theme 3 identified the long-term negative consequences of nonsupportive experiences. These three themes support the findings of Freyd’s betrayal trauma theory and Bowlby’s attachment theory, extend on the global knowledge base of this topic, and identify gaps for further exploration.
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