Effects of Legal Involvement on Child Victims: A 10-Year Follow-Up

9602125古德曼这项研究测试了有关刑事司法介入儿童性虐待受害者的长期后果的假设。参与刑事诉讼，特别是在法庭上作证，可能会造成精神伤害和消极态度。在这项拟议的前瞻性纵向研究中，218名儿童及其照顾者将在参与刑事起诉10年后接受跟踪，这些儿童被指控性犯罪的受害者。最初的研究收集了有关虐待、法律案件、法庭证词、儿童和照顾者的情绪健康以及儿童和照顾者对法律制度的反应的详细信息。在这项研究中，前参与者和他们的照顾者将就目前的心理健康、受害情况、犯罪行为、记忆和对法律制度的态度进行重新访谈。还将采访一组匹配的对照小组，其中包括没有已知虐待儿童或法律干预历史的青少年和成年人及其照顾者。数据将根据早期的精神健康指数、性侵犯的特征和具体的法律经历(例如，儿童是否作证、案件结果)进行分析。将确定导致或调解负面心理后果的因素。结果将提供有关法律和法律经验对儿童性虐待前受害者的影响的重要科学信息。%

9602125 Goodman This study tests hypotheses concerning long-term consequences of criminal justice involvement for victims of child sexual abuse. Participation in criminal prosecutions, especially testifying in court, may results in emotional harm and negative attitudes. In the proposed prospective-longitudinal study, 218 children and their caretakers will be followed up 10 years after they participated in criminal prosecutions for which the children were alleged victims of sex crimes. The original study gathered detailed information about the abuse, the legal case, courtroom testimony, children's and caretakers' emotional well being, and children's and caretakers' reactions to the legal system. In this study, former participants and their caretakers will be reinterviewed concerning present mental health, victimization, criminal behavior, memory, and attitudes about the legal system. A matched comparison group of adolescents and adults with no known history of child abuse or legal intervention and their caretakers will also be interviewed. Data will be analyzed in relation to earlier indices of mental health, characteristics of the sexual assault, and specific legal experiences (e.g., whether or not the child testified, case outcome). Factors contributing to or mediating negative psychological consequences will be identified. Results will provide important scientific information about the impact of laws and legal experience on former victims of child sexual abuse. %%%%