DOJ-OGR-00006838.jpg
Extracted Text (OCR)
Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE Document 452-2
Alaggia et al.
Filed 11/12/21 Page 3of 45
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CSA to authorities and the high rates reported in prevalence
studies. For example, a meta-analysis conducted by Stolten-
borgh, van IJzendoorn, Euser, and Bakermans-Kranenburg
(2011) combining estimations of CSA in 217 studies published
between 1980 and 2008 revealed rates of CSA to be more than
30 times greater in studies relying on self-reports (127 in 1,000)
than in official report inquiries, such as those based on data
from child protection services and the police (4 in 1,000) (Jil-
lian, Cotter, & Perreault, 2014; Statistics Canada 2013). In
other words, while 1 out of 8 people retrospectively report
having experienced CSA, official incidence estimates indicate
only 1 per 250 children. In a survey of Swiss child services,
Maier, Mohler-Kuo, Landholt, Schnyder, and Jud (2013) fur-
ther found 2.68 cases per 1,000 of CSA disclosures, while in a
recent comprehensive review McElvaney (2015) details the
high prevalence of delayed, partial, and nondisclosures in
childhood indicating a persistent trend toward withholding
CSA disclosure.
It is our view that incidence statistics are likely an under-
estimation of CSA disclosures, and this drives the rationale for
the current review. Given the persistence of delayed disclosures
with research showing a large number of survivors only dis-
closing in adulthood (Collin-Vézina et al., 2015; Easton, 2013;
Hunter, 2011; McElvaney, 2015; Smith et al., 2000), these
issues should be a concern for practitioners, policy makers, and
the general public (McElvaney, 2015). The longer disclosures
are delayed, the longer individuals potentially live with serious
negative effects and mental health problems such as depres-
sion, anxiety, trauma disorders, and addictions, without receiv-
ing necessary treatment. This also increases the likelihood of
more victims falling prey to undetected offenders. Learning
more about CSA disclosure factors and processes to help
advance our knowledge base may help professionals to facil-
itate earlier disclosures.
Previous literature reviews examining factors influencing
CSA disclosure have served the field well but are no longer
current. Important contributions on CSA disclosures include
Paine and Hansen’s (2002) original review covering the liter-
ature largely from the premillennium era, followed by London,
Bruck, Ceci, and Shuman’s (2005) subsequent review, which
may not have captured publications affected by “lag to print”
delays so common in peer-reviewed journals. These reviews
are now dated and therefore do not take into account the
plethora of research that has been accumulated over the past
15 years. Other recent reviews exist but with distinct contribu-
tions on the dialogical relational processes of disclosure (Reit-
sema & Grietens, 2015), CSA disclosures in adulthood (Tener
& Murphy, 2015), and delayed disclosures in childhood (McEI-
vaney, 2015). This literature review differs by focusing on CSA
disclosures in children, youth, and adults from childhood and
into adulthood—over the life course.
Method
Kiteley and Stogdon’s (2014) systematic review framework
was utilized to establish what has been investigated in CSA
disclosure research, through various mixed methods, to high-
light the most convincing findings that should be considered for
future research, practice, and program planning. This review
centered on the question: What is the state of CSA disclosure
research and what can be learned to apply to future research
and practice? By way of clarification, the term systematic
refers to a methodologically sound strategy for searching liter-
ature on studies for knowledge construction, in this case the
CSA disclosure literature, rather than intervention studies. The
years spanned for searching the literature were 2000-2016,
building on previous reviews without a great deal of overlap.
Retrieval of relevant research was done by searching interna-
tional electronic databases: PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, Edu-
cational Resources Information Center, Canadian Research
Index, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Pub-
lished International Literature on Traumatic Stress, Sociologi-
cal Abstracts, Social Service Abstracts, and Applied Social
Science Index and Abstracts. This review searched peer-
reviewed studies. A search of the gray literature (unpublished
literature such as internal agency documents, government
reports, etc.) was beyond the scope of this review because
unpublished studies are not subjected to a peer-review process.
Keyword search terms used were child sexual abuse, childhood
sexual abuse, disclosure, and telling.
A search of the 9 databases produced 322 peer-reviewed
articles. Selected search terms yielded 200 English publica-
tions, | French study, and | Portuguese review. The search was
further refined by excluding studies focusing on forensic inves-
tigations, as these studies constitute a specialized legal focus on
interview approaches and techniques. As well, papers that
focused exclusively on rates and responses to CSA disclosure
were excluded, as these are substantial areas unto themselves,
exceeding the aims of the review question. Review articles
were also excluded. Once the exclusion criteria were applied,
the search results yielded 33 articles. These studies were sub-
jected to a thematic analysis as described by Braun and Clarke
(2006). This entailed (1) multiple readings by the three authors;
(2) identifying patterns across studies by coding and charting
specific features; (3) examining disclosure definitions used,
sample characteristics, and measures utilized; and (4) major
findings were extrapolated. Reading of the articles was initially
conducted by the authors to identify general trends in a first
level of analyses and then subsequently to identify themes
through a deeper second-level analyses. A table of studies was
generated and was continuously revised as the selection of
studies was refined (see Table 1).
Key Findings
First-level analysis of the studies identified key study charac-
teristics. Trends emerged around definitions of CSA disclosure,
study designs, and sampling issues. First, in regard to defini-
tions, the term “telling” is most frequently used in place of the
term disclosure. In the absence of standardized questionnaires
or disclosure instruments, telling emerges as a practical term
more readily understood by study participants. Several
DOJ-OGR- 00006838
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