In the analysis of groups of participants who had spent different amounts of time in institutions and entered under different circumstances, the most poorly adjusted as adults were not those who had spent longest living in institutions (more than 12 years), but rather, those who had spent less time in institutions (under 11 years), entered institutions through the courts and reported institutional sexual abuse, in addition to physical abuse within their families. Subgroups selected by specific diagnosis showed an intermediate level of adult psychological adjustment between these extremes. Those with no diagnoses were the best adjusted as adults. Participants with multiple co-morbid psychological disorders had experienced more institutional abuse and showed poorer adult psychological adjustment than those with fewer disorders. The overall rates of psychological disorders among survivors of institutional living, for most disorders, were double those found in normal community populations in Europe and North America. About four fifths of participants at some point in their life had had a psychological disorder including anxiety, mood, substance use and personality disorders. More than four fifths of participants had an insecure adult attachment style, indicative of having problems making and maintaining satisfying intimate relationships. All participants had experienced one or more significant life problems with mental health problems, unemployment and substance use being the most common. Just over a third of those who had memories of having lived with their families reported family-based child abuse or neglect. More than 90% had experienced institutional physical and emotional child abuse and about half, institutional child sexual abuse. Participants had spent, on average, about 5 years living with their families before entering institutions and about 10 years living in institutions. There were approximately equal numbers of men and women who were about 60 years of age, and who had entered institutions run by nuns or religious brothers due to family adversity or petty criminality.
Other witnesses to the Commission who reported institutional abuse in other institutions and out-of-home care settings were not included in this study. In 20 247 adult survivors of institutional abuse in industrial and reformatory schools recruited through CICA were interviewed. The present report describes a research project which was commissioned by the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (hereafter referred to as CICA).
0 kommentar(er)
