Date of Conferral

4-21-2025

Date of Award

April 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Jana Price-Sharps

Abstract

The long-term effects that individuals suffer because of childhood sexual abuse may impact their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social health. Treatment providers and helping professionals working with childhood sexual abuse survivors offer a unique insight into the impact of the trauma based on the gender of the survivor. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore integrative treatment providers’ perceptions of treating male versus female adult survivors of sexual abuse. Seligman’s positive psychology was used for the theoretical framework of the study, and the conceptual framework was based on Engel’s biopsychosocial model. The data for this study were collected through interviews with nine integrative treatment providers who were identified to have experience working with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Providers were asked to clarify what connection they observe between the survivor’s trauma and the symptoms of dysfunction presented for treatment. The results are notable as they add to the knowledge base of qualitative research that explores variables specific to gender-based barriers and successes in integrative treatment, such as disclosing and processing abuse. The results show best practices for ongoing assessment of childhood abuse history throughout treatment to encourage and allow disclosure as well as providing support for the expansion of education and the development of clinical competency for integrative treatment providers working with childhood sexual abuse survivors. The knowledge gained by this research study contributes to social changes as it offers providers insight to modify their approaches to treatment to include gender-based considerations and improve their ability to reach survivors.

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