sexually abused

You are employed at an agency and are part of a team investigating allegations that Denise, a 14-year-old girl, is currently being sexually abused by her stepfather. Denise still resides with her mother and stepfather. There are also several younger siblings in the home. Denise’s mother sought mental health treatment for her daughter due to problematic behaviors such as sexual promiscuity, poor school performance, and suspected alcohol/drug abuse. Denise recently told her mother that her stepfather has been sexually abusing her since she was 5-years-old. Unfortunately, Denise’s mother does not believe the allegations because she feels that Denise lies frequently. It is your task to refer Denise for a forensic psychological evaluation. Please describe the referral question to the psychologist. Also, describe how you would know whether the psychologist was qualified to perform such an evaluation. Further, describe the methodology that the psychologist might use. What interviewing techniques and assessments measures might the psychologist utilize? What conclusions do you think might be reached by the psychologist? Please describe the information that might be learned from this psychological evaluation that would be helpful in planning for Denise’s future care.
Walker, L.E.A. (1994). Abused women and Survivor Therapy: A Practical guide for the
psychotherapist. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
Denmark, F.L., Krauss, H.H., Halpern, E., Sechzer, J.A. (Eds.)(2006). Violence and Exploitation
Against Women and Girls. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, Vol 1087. Boston, MA:New York Academy of Sciences by Blackwell Publishing.