Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-dtkg6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-20T23:24:35.720Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Childhood sexual abuse histories in women with drug and alcohol misuse disorders

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Ann Horgan ,
CE Cassidy  and
Adrian Corrigan
Ann Horgan
Affiliation:
Department of Adult Psychiatry, 63 Eccles St, Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin 7, Ireland
Adrian Corrigan
Affiliation:
St Luke's Hospital, Armagh, Northern, Ireland
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objectives: To audit the incidence of a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in women with diagnoses of drug and alcohol misuse disorders.

Method: A definition of CSA encompassing the US National Centre on Child Abuse and Neglect's definition of child sexual abuse was used. In the six month period of audit details of CSA were recorded from clinical data for all consecutive female new patients (n = 49) of the substance misuse service in St. Luke's Hospital, Armagh.

Results: Of the 49 new patients, information on childhood sexual abuse was available for 44 subjects. Sixteen (36.36%) of 44 had a positive history of CSA.

In 13 (81.25%) abuse occurred before the age of 16 years. Sexual intercourse was described by 50% and sexual contact by 50%. Only one patient had reported CSA to the police and only one patient had received counselling. There was a difference noted in the addiction profile of those with a history of CSA, 44% of this group had either alcohol dependence syndrome/harmful use of alcohol compared with 66% of the non-CSA group. The perpetrators were all male.

Conclusions: Our audit confirmed other work which showed a high incidence of childhood sexual abuse histories in addicted women. This is one of the areas which may not be properly addressed by conventional addiction treatment programmes, which are male centred and male dominated. It adds to the growing body of evidence that suggests adaptations must be made as increasing numbers of women present for addiction problems.

Keywords

Child sexual abuseAddictionWomen
Type
Audit
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 15 , Issue 3 , September 1998 , pp. 91 - 95
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Northern Ireland Health Promotion Agency, 1992.Google Scholar
2.Sweeney, K, Gillan, J, Orr, J. Drinking habits in Northern Ireland, Policy Planning and Research Unit. Occasional paper 22. London: DHSS, 1990.Google Scholar
3.Mayfield, D, Millard, G, Hall, P. The Cage questionnaire; validation of a new alcoholism screening instrument. Am J Psychiatry 1974; 131: 1121–3.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4.Murray, M, McMillan, C. Problem drinking in Northern Ireland: results of a community survey using the CAGE questionnaire: Alcohol-Alcohol 1993; 28(4): 477–83.Google ScholarPubMed
5.Covington, SS. Women and addiction: a collection of papers. La Jolla, California: 1985.Google Scholar
6.Homiller, JD. Alcoholism among women. Chem Depend 1980; 4: 1–31.Google ScholarPubMed
7.Ho Kong Wai, B, Singh, S, Varma, SL. HIV infection in females dependent on drugs. Addiction 1996; 91(3): 435–8.Google Scholar
8.Hartnoll, AL, Mitcheson, MC, Lewis, R, Byer, S. Estimation of the prevalence of opioid dependence. Lancet 1985; 1: 203–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
9.Swift, W, Copeland, J, Hall, W. Characteristics of women with alcohol and other drug problems; findings of an Australian national survey. Addiction 1996; 91(8): 1141–50.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Miller, BA, Downs, WR, Gondoli, DM, Keil, A. The role of childhood sexual abuse in the development of alcoholism in women. Violence Victims 1987; 2: 157–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Covington, SS. Sexual experience, dysfunction and abuse: a descriptive study of alcoholic and non-alcoholic women. PhD Dissertation. Union Graduate School, 1982.Google Scholar
12.Hodgins, DC, El-Guebaly, N, Addington, J. Treatment of substance abusers: single or mixed gender program? Addiction 1997; 92(7): 805–12.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
13.Chiavaroli, T. Rehabilitation from substance abuse in individuals with a history of sexual abuse. J Substance Abuse Treat (US) 1992; 9(4): 349–54.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
14.Finkelhor, D. Child Sexual Abuse. New York: The Free Press, A Division of MacMillan Inc, 1984.Google ScholarPubMed
15.Wyatt, GE. The sexual abuse of afro-American and white American women in childhood. Child Abuse and Neglect 1985; 2: 507–19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16.Brown, GR, Anderson, B. Psychiatric motidity in adult inpatients with childhood histories of sexual and physical abuse. Am J Psychiatry 1991; 148(Jan): 55–61.Google ScholarPubMed
17.National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect: Child Sexual Abuse: Incest, Assault and Sexual Exploitation. US Department of Health, Education and Welfare publication (OHDS) 79-30166. WashingtonDHEW, 1978.Google Scholar
18.International Classification of Diseases – 10. The ICD-10 classification of mental and behavioral disorders, clinical descriptions and diagnostic guidelines. Geneva: World Health Organisation, 1992.Google Scholar
19.Hall, JM. Pervasive effects of childhood sexual abuse in lesbians' recovery from alcohol problems: Subst Use Misuse (US) 1996; 31(2): 225–39.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Beckman, LJ. Perceived antecedents and effects of alcohol consumption in women. J Stud Alcohol 1980; 41:518–30.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21.Gomberg, ES, Lisankey, JM. Antecedents of alcohol problems in women. In: Wilsnack, SC, Beckman, LJ eds. Alcohol problems in women: antecedents, consequences and intervention. New York: Guildford Press 1984: 233–59.Google Scholar
22.Bluglass, R. Incest. Br J Hosp Med 1979; 22: 152–6.Google ScholarPubMed
23.Forrest, GG. Alcoholism and human sexuality. Springfield, II: Charles C Thomas Publ, 1983.Google Scholar
24.Wilsnack, SC. Drinking, sexuality and sexual dysfunction in women. In: Wilsnack, SC, Beckman, LJ eds. Alcohol problems in women: Antecedents, Consequences and New York: Guildford Press, 1984: 189–227.Google Scholar
25.Beckman, LJ. Treatment needs of women alcoholics. Alcsm Treat 1984; Q1(2): 101–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
26.Pedersen, W, Skrondal, A. Alcohol and sexual victimisation: a longitudinal study of Norwegian girls. Addiction 1996; 91(4): 565–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
27.Young, EB. The role of incest issues in relapse. J Psychoactive Drugs (US) 1990; 22(2): 249–58.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
28.Kovac, JA. The relationship between treatment failures of alcoholic women and incestuous histories with possible implications for post traumatic stress disorder symptomatology. PhD dissertation. Wayne State University: 1983.Google Scholar
29.Kovac, JA. Incest as a treatment issue for alcoholic women. Alcoholism Treat 1986; 3(1): 1–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30.Watts, M. Problem drinking among women. Nursing 1988; 3(31): 27–9.Google ScholarPubMed
31.Cooney, JG. Under the weather, alcohol abuse and alcoholism: how to cope. Dublin: Gill and McMillan, 1991.Google Scholar
32.Linbeck, V. The woman alcoholic: a review of the literature. Int J Addict 1972; 7: 567–80CrossRefGoogle Scholar
33.Soutter, K. Women and alcohol: challenging the stereotypes. Health Education J 1988; 47(1): 12–14.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
34.Piazza, NJ, Vrbka, JL, Yeager, RD. Telescoping of alcoholism in women alcoholics. Int J Addictions 1989; 24: 19–28.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
35.Beckman, LJ, Amaro, H. Patterns of women's use of alcohol treatment agencies. Alcohol Hlth Res 1984-1985; World 9(2): 14–25.Google Scholar
36.Long, A, Mullen, B. An exploration of women's perceptions of the major factors that contri uted to their alcohol misuse. J Advanced Nursing 1994; 19: 623–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
37.Reed, BG. Drug misuse and dependency in women: the meaning and implications of being considered a special population or minority group. Int J Addictions 1985; 20: 13–62.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
38.Doherty, P, Endler, DL. Women in group psychotherapy. In: Alonso, A, Swiller, HI eds. Group therapy in clinical practice. Washington: American Psychiatric Press, 1993.Google Scholar
39.Hurley, DL. Women, alcohol and incest: an analytical review. J Studies on Alcohol 1991; 52(3): 253–268.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed