Effects of personality traits and characteristics of child sexual abuse on maternal reactions and support

Objective

This study aimed to examine the relationship between maternal and contextual factors including maternal personality traits, the quality of mother–child relationship, the characteristics of sexual abuse and maternal outcomes: (1) maternal reactions including feelings of anger and responsibility, anger and perceptions of responsibility of the child, and (2) maternal support provided to the child following the disclosure of sexual abuse.

Method

The sample included 190 mothers recruited from youth centers in Québec (Canada). Data were collected using self-assessment questionnaires and semi-structured interviews.

Results

Regression analyses revealed that maternal neuroticism, the quality of the preexisting mother–child relationship, the relationship between the mother and the perpetrator, and the occurrence of physical violence, were significant predictors of outcomes including maternal support, mothers’ feelings of responsibility and/or anger towards the abuser and/or child.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that considering neurotic traits and addressing feelings of anger and responsibility among mothers might improve child outcomes following CSA.