Feminist Family Therapy for Treating Female Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Female survivors of childhood sexual abuse make up a population that warrants special clinical attention. Despite the amount of literature devoted to childhood sexual abuse, little attention has been paid to the culture of the individual survivor and her family in the field of couple and family therapy. There are unique aspects about women’s experiences with childhood sexual abuse that require attention to gender and cultural issues. To attend to this identified gap, an overview of some of the common problem areas that survivors and their families experience is provided, and feminist family therapy is discussed as a suggested treatment approach

Family Violence Exposure and Associated Risk Factors for Child PTSD in a Mexican Sample

This study was undertaken in an effort to help illuminate the deleterious effects of traumatic stress on children and families in Mexico. Rates of exposure to traumatic events, family and community violence, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were investigated in 87 school-age children and their mothers. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to examine potential family and ecological risk factors for the presence of child PTSD. A total of 51 children (58.6%) reported an event that met the DSM-IV A criteria, and 36 children (41.4%; 20 boys and 16 girls) met criteria for full PTSD. Traumatic exposure in this sample was considerable, particularly intense, and chronic as a result of interpersonal violence in the home and community. Results support the need for preventive systemic interventions targeting the individual level, parent-child dyadic level, and the larger cultural and community context

Effects of Environmental Risk Factors on Mexican Youths\u27 PTSD Scores

Annual Conference of American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT Annual Conference) is the world’s leading education and networking event for marriage and family therapists, giving an opportunity to learn from leaders in the field, network with peers, and discuss cutting edge research and techniques filled with educational and professional development activities

Family Violence, PTSD, and Parent–Child Interactions: Dyadic Data Analysis with Mexican Families

Background Family violence has been shown to have a dramatic impact on individual and family life in the United States and other countries. Numerous studies have assessed the influence that exposure to violence can have on family dynamics and parent–child relationships. However, less is known about the association between family violence and parent–child relationships with Mexican families. Objective Guided by social interaction learning theory, the purpose of this study was to explore the link between family violence, PTSD, and mother–child interaction patterns. Methods Eighty-seven mother–child dyads from Mexico completed assessments for exposure to family violence and PTSD symptoms. We coded and analyzed observational tasks to assess prosocial parent–child interactions, such as positive communication and problem solving. We conducted an actor-partner independence model (APIM) to examine the association between exposure to family violence, PTSD and mother–child relationship dynamics. Results As expected, higher exposure to family violence was linked to higher PTSD symptoms for mothers. Unexpectedly, higher maternal PTSD symptoms were associated with better communication during dyadic interaction tasks with their children. Conclusions The present study suggests that individuals from certain cultures (i.e., Mexico) may respond differently to experiencing family violence. The use of multiple measurement methods to assess the relational effects of trauma on family dynamics can advance the scientific understanding of trauma affected families