Childhood Sexual Abuse: Identification, Screening, and Treatment Recommendations in Primary Care Settings

Abstract

It is estimated that 8% to 12% of American youths have experienced at least one sexual assault in their lifetime, making childhood sexual abuse (CSA) an important public health problem that is likely to be encountered by primary care providers. Use of screening tools and understanding the principles behind targeted clinical evaluation can aid in identification of CSA victims despite highly variable presentation. The primary care provider must be aware of potential signs and symptoms as well as differential diagnoses in order to identify children who may benefit from further mental health evaluation and intervention.

Keywords: Childhood PTSD; Childhood sexual abuse; Sexual abuse screening; Sexual victimization; Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT).