The effects of intrafamilial ritualistic child abuse on an adult survivor: a systemic perspective on recovery

This exploratory study examined the effects of ritualistic child abuse, with its attendant sexual abuse, on a Single adult survivor. It sought to investigate the impact of such severe psychological, emotional, and sexual trauma on her function in a variety of social roles, such as wife, mother, employee, friend, parishioner, and therapy client, roles which are particularly salient to the practice of marital and family therapy and which offer potential resources for healing. The study employed in-depth interviewing of an adult female who was ritually abused during childhood and adolescence by family members. Her husband, son, friends, minister, and therapist were also interviewed in order to provide understanding of their perspectives about the survivor's recovery process and to determine their involvement. This researcher, also a survivor of similar abuses, utilized direct exposure to the survivor's therapeutic process through participant observation and examined her artistic creations, completed during the recovery period, in efforts to explore creativity as a further resource for healing. This report has attempted to describe aspects of a complex phenomenon, ritualistic child abuse, by capturing the candid recollections of the subject and outlining the interpersonal relationships that formed her recovery context. This researcher has shared a brief analysis of the results, suggestions of questions for further research, and personal reflections.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph. D.

Level thesis:degree_level

doctoral

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Family and Child Development

Department dc:contributor.department

Family and Child Development

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1991

Author dc:creator

• Narron, Georganne

Chairs dc:contributor.committeechair

• Sporakowski, Michael J.
• Lichtman, Marilyn V.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Fu, Victoria
• Mancini, Jay A.
• Protinsky, Howard O.
• Shea, Laurie

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-08062007-094407

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/39058