Evaluation of the therapeutic process in cases of sexual abuse

Abstract

Sexual abuse can trigger cognitive and behavioral problems which requirepsychotherapeutic intervention. This study aimed to evaluate thetherapeutic process of two clinical cases. Participants were twosexually abused girls who participated in cognitive behavioral grouptherapy. The cases were selected based on the different responses togroup therapy. One of them showed a reduction in the symptoms ofdepression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and stress while inother these same symptoms were not reduced. Results showed that factorsinfluencing the therapeutic process and that were related to thedifferent responses to group therapy included the onset age of sexualabuse; the form of abuse; the perception of the experience in the careinstitution; criminalization of the offender; and persistence of guiltwhen faced with stress inoculation techniques. Case studies cancontribute to the understanding of individual responses to effectiveintervention models based on evidence.