Characteristics of mental and psychosexual development in sexual abuse survivors

The aim of this study was to identify the main clinical characteristics of child sexual abuse survivors and to explore the effects of these characteristics on adjustment of sexual abuse survivors. 93 sexual abuse victims between 5 and 18 years old (59 girls and 34 boys) were examined. Based on the stage of their psychosexual development, duration and type of sexual assault, origins and mechanisms underlying major mental disorders in sexual abuse survivors were revealed. Depending on the influence of various factors (social, clinical, biological), three maladjustment patterns of sexual abuse survivors were distinguished. Improvement in the overall social functioning following child sexual abuse can be achieved by reducing the impact of prognostically significant factors.