'Siblings’ perspectives of the impact of child sexual abuse disclosure on family relationships'

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been shown to have a significant impact on individuals, however, limited research has been conducted on the impact of the abuse on sibling and other family members and family relationships following the disclosure of CSA. This study explored sibling responses to disclosures of CSA, and changes, if any, in sibling and family relationships following disclosure of CSA. Three main themes were identified: intense sibling emotional reactions, strain and closeness in sibling relationships, and managing family dynamics. This study confirms the need for studies on CSA to incorporate a lifespan perspective, and the need to include family members in therapeutic responses to CSA.

Authors: Rosaleen McElvaney, Rachael McDonnell Murray, Simon Dunne

This article can be found on the Family Process website:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/1...

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• #sibling_relationship
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