A Personal History of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Parenting Patterns and Problems

Abstract

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is shockingly common among women in the USA and is particularly prevalent among female psychiatric patients. Despite theoretical accounts and empirical evidence that developmental history, especially child abuse, plays a significant role in parenting skills, there are no reports of parenting interventions with mothers with CSA histories. This article reviews the available reports of parenting problems among mothers with CSA histories, and presents clinical case material to illustrate the complexities of treating mothers with CSA histories and their children. Preliminary recommendations for interventions with mothers at risk for intergenerational abuse and mental health problems among their children are outlined.