A mediational model linking perceptions of security,alexithymia and behavior problems of sexually abused children |
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| Institution: | 1. Faculty of Medicine of Tunis, Tunis El Manar University, Tunisia;2. Razi Hospital, Mannouba, Tunisia;1. Center of Mental Health Education and Research, Preschool Education Research Center, School of Psychology, School of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, 99 Ziyang Avenue, Nanchang 330022, China;2. Department of Psychological Science, University of California, Irvine, 4201 Social and Behavioral Sciences Gateway, Irvine, CA, 92697-7085, USA. |
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| Abstract: | BackgroundPerceptions of security toward parents are related with internalized and externalized problems among victims of child sexual abuse (CSA). Alexithymia, which is difficulty in identifying and expressing feelings, is associated with the quality of parent-child relationships (Oskis et al., 2013) and behavior problems in children (Di Trani et al., 2013).ObjectiveThe current study tested the mediational role of alexithymia in the relationship between perceptions of security toward parents and behavior problems among CSA victims.Participants and methodUsing a short-term multi-informant prospective design, 263 victims of CSA aged 6–12 years completed the Kerns Security Scale (Kerns, Klepac, & Cole, 1996), which evaluates perceived attachment security to mothers and fathers. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) at Time 1 to provide baseline scores of behavior problems and again four months later. At Time 2, parents also assessed the children’s alexithymia using the Children’s Alexithymia Measure (Way et al., 2010).ResultsPerceptions of security were both associated with alexithymia, as well as with internalizing and externalizing problems (p < .05). A mediational model showed that perception of security toward fathers outweighed the mother-child relationship in predicting children’s alexithymia. Path analysis revealed that the father-child relationship predicted decreased behavioral problems at Time 2 through a lower level of alexithymia. The model explained 46.9% of internalizing problems and 56.1% of externalizing problems (p < .05).ConclusionsThe findings support the relevance of alexithymia as an intervention target for CSA victims and underscore the importance of the father-child relationship. |
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| Keywords: | Child sexual abuse Alexithymia Perception of security toward mother Perception of security toward father Behavior problems |
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