UQ child sexual abuse treatment study seeks volunteers

The University of Queensland is seeking volunteers for a study offering free treatment for children aged six to 16 years who have been sexually abused within the past three years.

The University of Queensland and Protect All Children Today (PACT) have designed two treatment programs, which will be conducted by trained community clinicians.

UQ Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Professor Barry Nurcombe said the free programs aimed to improve self-esteem, restore trust, and help children tackle their problems directly rather than shelving or denying them. The programs also aimed to help caregivers to better understand their children and provide effective emotional support.

The programs are being offered by 142 experienced clinicians at government and non-government child and youth agencies on the east coast of Queensland - from Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, west to Toowoomba, and as far north as Cairns.

"In the past 25 years, we've come to understand that child sexual abuse is more common than previously thought," he said.

"Many children who have been abused can develop physical symptoms like headaches and abdominal pain, emotional problems such as anxiety and anger, behaviour problems such as short temper and running away from home, and problems with poor concentration and forgetfulness. Some children feel no more than numbness or emptiness."

Professor Nurcombe said it was unlikely that a one-size-fits-all approach would work.

"We will endeavour to fit the treatment to the particular needs of the child or youth and family. In the current project, we also want to compare the effectiveness of the two different treatment programs," he said. "There is no convincing evidence that any type of treatment is more effective than any other."

Professor Nurcombe said funding from Families Youth and Community Care Queensland and the National Health and Medical Research Council had enabled the study to be extended until 2002.

He said preliminary data from the study presented at the recent fourth annual Infant, Child, Adolescent and Family Mental Health Association Conference reinforced the importance of early intervention following the experience of child sexual abuse.

Children, youth and caregivers who participate in the study will be required to attend for 18, one-hour sessions with a clinician in a district close to their homes. Caregivers, children and youths will receive a comprehensive assessment before the treatment begins. Participants will also be given free literature.

People interested in participating in this important research project can contact Madge (Assessment Coordinator) Research Unit, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, on 07 3835 1405. Long-distance callers should telephone the Unit, and a researcher will call back.

Information on the study can be accessed on the website: www.psychiatry.uq.edu.au/csa/

Media: Further information, project assessment co-ordinator Madge Bell, telephone 07 3835 1405 or Jan King at UQ Communications 0413 601 248 or email: communications@mailbox.uq.edu.au.