This study concerns the validation of an instrument, the SAB2,
designed to measure child behaviour and to help identify emotional
problems which arise because the child has been a victim of child
sexual abuse. Clinically disturbed children, mainstream school
children and sexually abused youngsters were assessed. Reliability and
validity tests were carried out and a factor analysis was performed
which produced seven factors. Finally, the mean factor scores of 35
sexually abused girls were compared with a control sample of 112
girls. The sexual abuse group was found to have significantly higher
mean scores than controls on all factors and on the total instrument
score. However, closer examination of the scores revealed that 15 of
the female sexually abused group did not display any problematic
behaviours, whereas the other 20 presented with high scores on all
factors and a significantly higher score than any other group on the
sexual behaviour factor. The instrument was capable of distinguishing
behavioural disturbance arising from sexual abuse from that arising
from other sources. However, the instrument failed to detect the 15
"silent' abused cases. It is unclear whether this sub-group has
protective factors operating which minimise (or help to mask) the
impact of sexual abuse, or whether the effects of the abuse will
manifest later in life.