J6,K6

IT’S A CRISIS FOR ME TOO! HELPING NON-OFFENDING PARENTS IN CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE, PARTS 1 and 2

Presenter: Jeffrey Wherry

Abstract Category: Trauma Treatment

Instruction Level: Beginner

Presentation: Click Here

Description:      

This two-part workshop focuses on practical needs of non-offending parents of SA children.  Practice implications and research will address issues of disbelief, ambivalence, guilt, safety, and involvement.

Abstract:

Children who have been sexually abused benefit from support provided by non-offending parents.  Yet the process of disclosure and investigation can inherently put parents in a defensive posture.  Support in the form of listening and taking children to appointments is necessary, but not sufficient.  Parents are plagued by anger and guilt, but also bewilderment at being duped by people they too trusted.  Additionally, when the systems involved in investigation expect a premature acceptance of all known facts, non-offending parents may not have the opportunity to obtain the support that they need to support their children. 

This workshop will draw on both clinical experience and research on support to provide a practical framework for working with non-offending parents following the crisis of disclosure. 

The research to be integrated into the presentation will draw from among many studies and include the work of the presenter using the Maternal Social Support Questionnaire developed by Hsu and Smith.

The link between patterns of support and symptoms, at both intake and follow-up will be examined.  Practical issues will be discussed including:  (1) parental ambivalence, (2) normative disbelief, (3)“mood management” for parents and children, (4) possible safety risks when parents are absolved of any responsibility related to supervision, (5) parenting out of guilt, (6) involvement in assessment, and (7) involvement in treatment.