Mutual influence and interlocking professional-family process in the treatment of child sexual abuse and incest

Abstract

Three different types of professional intervention are described for families where father-daughter incest and stepfather-stepdaughter child sexual abuse have occurred. Their possible bearing on the development of the family process and the family network process is outlined. It will be demonstrated how the particular form of the professional intervention influences the relationship between family members and how, in turn, different family members attempt to channel professional intervention along lines they designate. The notion of an overall professional-family system, which describes the mutual influence and interlocking effects each sub-system has on the other, is proposed. The interlocking effects between the two sub-systems are demonstrated by means of a detailed clinical example.