The DOI matches its Crossref record; 60 of the 62 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Exploring the disclosure of child sexual abuse with alleged victims and their parents
Abstract
Objective The goal of the present study was to examine how children disclosed sexual abuse by alleged perpetrators who were not family members. Methodology Thirty alleged victims of sexual abuse and their parents were interviewed. The children were interviewed using the NICHD Investigative Interview Protocol by six experienced youth investigators. The same principles were followed when the parents were asked to describe in detail what had happened since the abusive incidents. The statements made by the children and parents were then content analyzed. Major characteristics of the children's and parents' reported behaviors were identified by two independent raters. Findings More than half (53%) of the children delayed disclosure for between 1 week and 2 years, fewer than half first disclosed to their parents, and over 40% did not disclose spontaneously but did so only after they were prompted; 50% of the children reported feeling afraid or ashamed of their parents' responses, and their parents indeed tended to blame the children or act angrily. The disclosure process varied depending on the children's ages, the severity and frequency of abuse, the parents' expected reactions, the suspects' identities, and the strategies they had used to foster secrecy. Conclusions The children's willingness to disclose abuse to their parents promptly and spontaneously decreased when they expected negative reactions, especially when the abuse was more serious. A strong correlation between predicted and actual parental reactions suggested that the children anticipated their parents' likely reactions very well.
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“There was a strong correlation between predicted and actual parental reactions suggesting children anticipated their parents’ likely reactions accurately.”
From Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016) (2019) · cites this paper as Hershkowitz, Lanes, and Lamb (2007)
In the citing paper
“recipient of disclosure: 47% of children first disclosed to siblings or friends, 43% first disclosed to their parents, and 10% first disclosed to another adult.”
From Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016) (2019) · cites this paper as Hershkowitz, Lanes, and Lamb (2007)
In the citing paper
“57% of the children spontaneously disclosed abuse, but 43% disclosed only after they were prompted.”
From Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016) (2019) · cites this paper as Hershkowitz, Lanes, and Lamb (2007)
In the citing paper
“delayed 53% of the children delayed disclosure for between 1 week and 2 years;”
From Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016) (2019) · cites this paper as Hershkowitz, Lanes, and Lamb (2007)
In the citing paper
“Focus is on extrafamilial CSA which may differ than disclosure patterns of intrafamilial CSA.”
From Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016) (2019) · cites this paper as Hershkowitz, Lanes, and Lamb (2007)
In the citing paper
“Parents’ reactions: supportive (37%) and unsupportive (63%).”
From Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016) (2019) · cites this paper as Hershkowitz, Lanes, and Lamb (2007)
In the citing paper
“Disclosure processes varied depending on the children’s ages (e.g., younger children disclosed to parents), severity and frequency of abuse, parents’ expected reactions, suspects’ identities, and strategies used to foster secrecy”
From Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016) (2019) · cites this paper as Hershkowitz, Lanes, and Lamb (2007)
In the citing paper
“50% of the children reported feeling afraid or ashamed of their parents’ responses.”
From Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016) (2019) · cites this paper as Hershkowitz, Lanes, and Lamb (2007)
Citations
Cites
Finkelhor, D., Hotaling, G., Lewis, I. A., & Smith, C. (1990) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(90)90077-7 · Cited by 1,754 · cited 1×
“Most perpetrators are familiar to the children they victimize (Finkelhor et al., 1990), which may increase the number of children who fail to disclose their victimization promptly, if at all.”
BackgroundThe APSAC Handbook on Child Maltreatment
Myers, J. E. B. (2001) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 1,228
The child sexual abuse accomodation syndrome
Summit, R. C. (1983) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(83)90070-4 · Cited by 1,006
Jeopardy in the courtroom: A scientific analysis of children's testimony.
Ceci, S. J., & Bruck, M. (1995) · American Psychological Association eBooks · doi:10.1037/10180-000 · Cited by 786
The APSAC handbook on child maltreatment
Klika, J. B., & Conte, J. R. (2018) · Sage eBooks · Cited by 778
JOHNSON, C. F. (2004) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(04)16771-8 · Cited by 696
Disclosure of child sexual abuse: what does the research tell us about the ways that children tell?
London, K., Bruck, M., Ceci, S. J., & Shuman, D. W. (2005) · Psychology, Public Policy, and Law · doi:10.1037/1076-8971.11.1.194 · Cited by 599
Assessing the value of structured protocols for forensic interviews of alleged child abuse victims
Orbach, Y., Hershkowitz, I., Lamb, M. E., Sternberg, K. J., Esplin, P. W., & Horowitz, D. (2000) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(00)00137-x · Cited by 523
Self-citationFERGUSSON, D. M., LYNSKEY, M. T., & HORWOOD, L. J. (1996) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-199610000-00023 · Cited by 483
Delay in disclosure of childhood rape: results from a national survey
Smith, D. W., Letourneau, E. J., Saunders, B. E., Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., & Best, C. L. (2000) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(99)00130-1 · Cited by 461
Flagged first, then by citations
2 of the 62 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- Distel, N. E. (1999). Disclosure of childhood sexual abuse: Links to emotion expression and adult attachment. Dissertation Abstracts: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering, 60 (6-B): 2938.
Cited by
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Çeviker, H. E. (2026) · Akademisyen Kitabevi eBooks · doi:10.37609/akya.4314
Evaluative Complexities in Forensic Psychology: Methodological and Ethical considerations
(2026) · Frontiers research topics · doi:10.3389/978-2-8325-8734-8
Percepções de Profissionais Acerca de Reações Maternas na Revelação da Violência Sexual
Tonello, R., Hohendorff, J. V., & Polli, L. (2026) · Psicologia Argumento · doi:10.7213/psicolargum.44.126.ao03
Xin, Y., Cai, T., Xia, Y., & Wu, Y. (2026) · Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1177/10790632261503565
Metadata
- Authors
- Hershkowitz, I., Lanes, O., & Lamb, M. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Haifa (IL)
- Tel Aviv University (IL)
- University of Cambridge (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Hershkowitz, Irit
- Venue
- Child Abuse & Neglect
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2007-02
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 111-123
- ISSN
- 0145-2134 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1995449367
- Cited by
- 400
- References
- 62
- Citations by year
- 2026: 15 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 19 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 36 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 25 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 16
- FWCI
- 11.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Child Abuse & Neglect (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Deception detection and forensic psychology
- Keywords
- child sexual abuse, disclosure, delayed disclosure, parental reactions, shame, fear, secrecy, child victims, abuse severity
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Child, Child Abuse, Sexual, Child, Preschool, Female, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Israel, Male, Parents, Truth Disclosure, Crime Victims
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