A socio-interpersonal perspective on the disclosure of childhood adversity: A qualitative comparative approach in Irish survivors

Abstract

Childhood adversity (i.e., sexual, physical, or emotional abuse, and physical or emotional neglect) is a widespread, but often underreported, issue. While disclosure can be important for recovery, findings are inconsistent and often lack consideration of wider social and interpersonal contexts. This study aimed to examine disclosure in survivors of childhood adversity by applying a socio-interpersonal perspective. It further aimed to explore cultural and contextual influences on disclosure by assessing survivors from two distinct adversity contexts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 Irish survivors from an intrafamilial adversity context (mean age: 57.4 years, 11 females) and 17 Irish survivors from an institutional adversity context (mean age: 60.7 years, 10 females). Data was analyzed using framework analysis and the application of the socio-interpersonal model. Findings indicate unsuccessful and non-disclosure in childhood, with increased disclosure in adulthood. Themes identified shared disclosure-related factors (e.g., shame, inaction, lack of infrastructural and social support, societal acknowledgement); as well as context-specific findings (e.g., engrained family secret in the intrafamilial sample, power and influence of the church in the institutional sample). Results emphasize the necessity of considering not only the child-perpetrator relationship, but also the complex social, cultural, and interpersonal contexts within which the individual is embedded.