Browsing by Subject "lapsuusajan seksuaalinen hyväksikäyttö"

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a traumatic experience, that can cause internalizing (e.g. anxiety symptoms) and externalizing (e.g. impulsivity) behavior problems to victims. Sexual abuse can also cause dysfunctions in emotion regulation. Emotion regulation is an important part of children’s emotional development, and dysregulation can mediate the relation between sexual abuse and behavior problems. The relationship between sexual abuse and behavioral problems can be affected by many factors, one of which is the victim’s gender. The aim of this literature review was to examine the gender differences in behavior problems in sexually abused children. This review takes a closer look on recent studies that have researched gender differences in internalizing behavior problems, externalizing behavior problems and emotion regulation. In addition, gender differences are examined in regards of trauma symptoms, substance abuse and criminal behavior. Based on this review the gender differences weren’t clear. There has been found gender differences in internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems, but the results weren’t systematic across different studies. There were conflicting results particularly in the externalizing problems. Some of the studies had found more externalizing problems in girl victims, whereas other studies had found more externalizing problems in boy victims. There were also studies that had not found any gender differences in neither internalizing nor externalizing behavior problems. The clearest gender differences were found in the effects sexual abuse had on emotion regulation. Boy victims were found to have lower emotion regulation than girl victims, which mediated boy’s externalizing problems, such as aggressive behavior. In adulthood male child victims had also been found guilty of more crimes than their female counterparts. Male victims had specifically been found guilty of sexual crimes. However, studies researching childhood sexual abuse have limitations that can affect their results. These limitations and the ambivalent results question if the gender differences can be generalized, and if it’s necessary to take gender into the account when planning intervention for the victim.