The impact of child sexual abuse on the adult couple relationship: the perspective of the survivor attending for therapy at an Irish Rape Crisis Centre
Year: 2020
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of adult survivors of child sexual\nabuse (CSA), with specific regard to their experience of the impact of CSA on their\nadult couple relationships. A precise account of the prevalence of CSA is\nunachievable, as many incidences remain unreported. However, its undeniably high\nprevalence suggests that psychotherapeutic practitioners will benefit from achieving a\nheightened awareness of how CSA impacts on the lives of clients and on their adult\ncouple relationships. This study utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis\n(IPA) to analyze themes identified following in-depth interviews with ten adult\nsurvivors of CSA who were attending therapy at an Irish community-based rape crisis\ncentre. Four master themes emerged; Protecting Myself from Emotional Pain,\nReliving the Abusive Cycle, Living with the Burden of the Past and Discovering My\nStrengths. IPA was deemed an appropriate choice of research approach, in\nconsideration of the silence and voicelessness often experienced by survivors of CSA.\nThe concept of giving voice to these participants regarding their couple relationships,\nwas at the foreground of this study, and therefore these findings have firsthand,\nauthentic implications for therapeutic practice, both in individual and couple\npsychotherapy settings. By exploring both strengths and challenges in the\nrelationships of CSA survivors, a deeper understanding of associated adverse lived\nexperiences was achieved, while at the same time illuminating possible positive and\nconstructive outcomes.
Author: Suzanne McClean
Language: English
Topic: Child Abuse and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3034050169