Predicting Sexual Abuse by Analyzing Manifest Content of Thematic Material

• Main Author: Pistole, Debbie R. (Deborah Rene)
• Other Authors: Ornduff, Sidney R.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: University of North Texas 1993
• Subjects: sexual abuse; female children; Thematic Apperception Test; Thematic Apperception Test.
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc500540/

The TAT protocols of 30 sexually abused female children and 30 female children with no documented history of abuse were analyzed using the Scoring Scheme for the TAT and Other Verbal Projective Techniques (Fine, 1955). No significant differences were found between groups on mean number of negative feelings portraited in the TAT stories. Similarly, no significant differences were found between groups on mean number of unfavorable outcomes to TAT stories. However, when specific feelings were considered, subjects in the sexual abuse group showed a significantly higher incidence of reference to guilt and sexuality. These results were independent of age, race, and intelligence.