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The British Journal of Psychiatry (2002) 180: 234-247
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Psychotherapy for sexually abused girls: psychopathological outcome findings and patterns of change

J. TROWELL, FRCPsych

I. KOLVIN, FRCPsych

The Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust

T. WEERAMANTHRI, MRCPsych

South London and Maudsley NHS Trust

H. SADOWSKI (deceased), MRCPsych

Royal Free Hospital and Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust

M. BERELOWITZ, FRCPsych

Royal Free Hospital

D. GLASSER, FRCPsych

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children

I. LEITCH, MBCS, Consultant Statistician

London

Correspondence: Dr. J. Trowell, The Tavistock and Portmand NHS Trust, Child & Family Department, 120 Belsize Lane, London NW3 5BA, UK

Declaration of interest None. Funding described in Acknowledgements.

Background Controversy exists about the efficacy of psychotherapy for the mental health problems of sexually abused children.

Aims To compare the relative efficacy of focused individual or group therapy in symptomatic sexually abused girls, and to monitor psychiatric symptoms for persistence or change.

Method A multi-centre psychotherapy outcome study recruited 71 sexually abused girls aged 6-14 years who were randomly assigned to focused individual psychotherapy (up to 30 sessions) or psychoeducational group therapy (up to 18 sessions). Changes over the course of the study were monitored.

Results Both treatment groups showed a substantial reduction in psychopathological symptoms and an improvement in functioning, but with no evident difference between individual and group therapy. However, individual therapy led to a greater improvement in manifestations of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Conclusions The beneficial effects on PTSD support the use of individual therapy. However, the small sample size and lack of a control group limit conclusions about changes attributable to treatment.




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