Adult Memories and Consequences and Recovery from Child Sexual Abuse
By Linda M. Williams, Ph.D.
Originally published by Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, 2001
This research is designed to answer crucial questions that require longitudinal data:
• What can we conclude about patterns of memories of traumatic events based on adult recollections of incidents which were documented several decades ago?
• What childhood and abuse characteristics are associated with forgetting childhood trauma?
• What is the content and accuracy of abuse-related memories over time?
• To what extent can the high rates of violence, delinquency, substance abuse, and suicide attempts be attributed to sexual abuse?
• What are the linkages between child abuse and these serious sequelae?
• What factors are associated with resilience and recovery?
• Findings from this project will be used to design interventions for and promote the health and well-being of women, men, girls, and boys who have had to confront the problems of childhood sexual abuse and violence.
Publications
Banyard, V. L., & Williams, L. M. (1996). Characteristics of child sexual abuse as correlates of women's adjustment: a prospective study. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 58, 853-865.
Williams, L. M., & Banyard, V. L. (Eds.) (1998). Trauma & Memory. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Williams, L. M., & Banyard, V. L. (1997). Gender and Recall of Child Sexual Abuse: A Prospective Study. In J. D. Read & D. S. Lindsay (Eds.) Recollections of Trauma: Scientific Evidence and Clinical Practice. New York: Plenum.
Williams, L. M., & Banyard, V. L. (1997). Perspectives on adult memories of child sexual abuse: A research review. In L. J. Dicksein, M. B. Riba, & J. M. Oldham (Eds.), American Psychiatric Press Review of Psychiatry, Volume 16 (ch. II, pp. 123-151.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press.
Williams, L. M., Siegel, J. A., & Pomeroy, J. J. (2000) Validity of women's self-reports of documented child sexual abuse. In A. Stone & J. S. Turkkan (Eds.), The Science of Self-Report: Implications for Research and Practice. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum.
