Content area
Full Text
The present study examines the possible predictive effects of coping strategies on post traumatic growth (PTG) among the female young adult victims of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) who are in Nirbhaya shelter homes. Eighty-seven participants aged from 15-24 years belong to Nirbhaya homes in Kerala, India were involved in this study. The Brief COPE scale and Post Traumatic Growth Inventory were used to assess the variables and correlational research method was used in the study. The results of the study show that the female young adult victims of CSA using adaptive coping strategies experience comparatively high level of PTG and the increased use of dysfunctional coping practices reduce the level of positive changes after the traumatic event. Furthermore, the study also examines the predictive influence of coping strategies on PTG. This study affirms the necessity of a culturally adapted psychological intervention program to enhance coping strategies and PTG among the female young adult victims of CSA.
Keywords: coping strategies, brief COPE, childhood sexual abuse, correlation, post traumatic growth
Young adults serve as the strength and promise of a nation as they make the future of a country. Any kind of maltreatment in their childhood would block the holistic development of a person which has a negative impact on them. Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a worldwide concern due to its alarming rate of increase despite of various precautions and laws for the protection of children. In an early Australian prevalence study, Goldman and Goldman (1988) defined child sexual abuse as "some form of sexual abuse or exploitation by age 18 years by a person five or more years older" that included behaviors such as: "being hugged in a sexual way", "adult showing genitals" and being "invited to do something sexual". Sexual abuse includes caressing a child's genitals, intercourse, incest, rape, sodomy, exhibitionism, and commercial exploitation through prostitution or the production ofpomographic materials (Shiel, 2018).
A meta-analysis on the prevalence of CSA with international samples from 22 countries researched that 19.7 % women are victims of sexual abuse before the age of 18 (Pedera et al., 2009). According to an estimate on 2013, 8-31% of girls and 3-17% of boys are undergoing sexual abuse, worldwide (Barth, Bermetz, Heim, et al.). In India, sexual offences and...