Ethnic Differences in Symptom Presentation

of Sexually Abused Girls

Paul J . Clear John P . Vincent Gerald E . Harris

ABSTRACT . Although researchers have begun to examine the issue of ethnic and cultural factors in childhood sexual abuse ( CSA ) , relatively little has been done to look at possible ethnic and cultural differences in psychological symptoms related to CSA . This study investigated the re lationship between ethnicity and symptom presentation among Hispanic , African American , and Caucasian sexually abused girls . The study exam ined the relationship between ethnicity and depression , ethnicity and post – trauma intrusive symptoms , and ethnicity and post – trauma avoidance symptoms . Results indicated that African American girls had s ign ificantly

Paul J . Clear , MA , is a doctoral student in clinical psycholo gy at the University of Houston . John P . Vincent , PhD , is Professor , Director of Clinical Training , and Director of the Victims ‘ Resource Institute at the University of Houston , TX . Gerald E . Harris , PhD , is Director of Training at the Victims ‘ Resource Institute at the Uni versity of Houston , TX .

Address correspondence to : John P . Vincent , PhD , 126 Heyne Boulevard , University of Houston , Houston , TX 77204 ( E – mail : jvincent @ ub . edu ) .