Cyndi Boisjoli1, Martine Hébert2, Amélie Gauthier-Duchesne3, Pier-Olivier Caron4. 1. Département de psychologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada. Electronic address: boisjoli.cyndi@courrier.uqam.ca. 2. Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada. Electronic address: hebert.m@uqam.ca. 3. Département de sexologie, Université du Québec à Montréal, C.P. 8888, succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada. Electronic address: gauthier-duchesne.amelie@courrier.uqam.ca. 4. Télé-Université, 5800, Rue Saint-Denis, Bureau 1105, Montréal, QC, H2S 3L5, Canada. Electronic address: pier-olivier.caron@teluq.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Perceptions of security toward parents are related with internalized and externalized problems among victims of child sexual abuse (CSA). Alexithymia, which is difficulty in identifying and expressing feelings, is associated with the quality of parent-child relationships (Oskis et al., 2013) and behavior problems in children (Di Trani et al., 2013). OBJECTIVE: The current study tested the mediational role of alexithymia in the relationship between perceptions of security toward parents and behavior problems among CSA victims. PARTICIPANTS AND METHOD: Using a short-term multi-informant prospective design, 263 victims of CSA aged 6-12 years completed the Kerns Security Scale (Kerns, Klepac, & Cole, 1996), which evaluates perceived attachment security to mothers and fathers. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) at Time 1 to provide baseline scores of behavior problems and again four months later. At Time 2, parents also assessed the children's alexithymia using the Children's Alexithymia Measure (Way et al., 2010). RESULTS: Perceptions of security were both associated with alexithymia, as well as with internalizing and externalizing problems (p < .05). A mediational model showed that perception of security toward fathers outweighed the mother-child relationship in predicting children's alexithymia. Path analysis revealed that the father-child relationship predicted decreased behavioral problems at Time 2 through a lower level of alexithymia. The model explained 46.9% of internalizing problems and 56.1% of externalizing problems (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the relevance of alexithymia as an intervention target for CSA victims and underscore the importance of the father-child relationship.
BACKGROUND: Perceptions of security toward parents are related with internalized and externalized problems among victims of childsexual abuse (CSA). Alexithymia, which is difficulty in identifying and expressing feelings, is associated with the quality of parent-child relationships (Oskis et al., 2013) and behavior problems in children (Di Trani et al., 2013). OBJECTIVE: The current study tested the mediational role of alexithymia in the relationship between perceptions of security toward parents and behavior problems among CSA victims. PARTICIPANTS AND METHOD: Using a short-term multi-informant prospective design, 263 victims of CSA aged 6-12 years completed the Kerns Security Scale (Kerns, Klepac, & Cole, 1996), which evaluates perceived attachment security to mothers and fathers. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist (Achenbach & Rescorla, 2001) at Time 1 to provide baseline scores of behavior problems and again four months later. At Time 2, parents also assessed the children's alexithymia using the Children's Alexithymia Measure (Way et al., 2010). RESULTS: Perceptions of security were both associated with alexithymia, as well as with internalizing and externalizing problems (p < .05). A mediational model showed that perception of security toward fathers outweighed the mother-child relationship in predicting children's alexithymia. Path analysis revealed that the father-child relationship predicted decreased behavioral problems at Time 2 through a lower level of alexithymia. The model explained 46.9% of internalizing problems and 56.1% of externalizing problems (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the relevance of alexithymia as an intervention target for CSA victims and underscore the importance of the father-child relationship.