Please note that there are two different conference venues: June 14/15 - Century City Conference Centre June 16 - Kirstenbosch Conference Centre (transportation available)
Promoting Resilience in Women Who Have Experienced Childhood Sexual Abuse
Abstract #126 Title: S2T Voices of Healing and Recovery: Promoting resilience in women who experienced childhood sexual abuse Presenter: Hayley Walker-Williams (North-West University, South Africa) Co-Author: Ansie Fouché Introduction: Most therapeutic interventions for female survivors of child sexual abuse are pathogenically orientated. Little attention is given to the fact that strengths may be borne from the struggle to cope with the trauma. A strengths-based group intervention entitled survivor to thriver (S2T) aims to facilitate resilient post-trauma growth outcomes. Methods: The benefits of the S2T intervention were evaluated by means of a quasi-experimental pretest posttest one group only design between 2013 and 2016. A total of 19 multicultural women, ranging from the ages of 18 to 56 years, completed the group treatment. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods were employed to evaluate the benefit of the intervention. This study reports on the findings from the qualitative study and gives an overview of the S2T women’s voices reflecting resilient enabling and positive post trauma adaptive outcomes of recovery and healing over a three year period. Findings: Our findings suggest that indeed resilient driven processes and posttraumatic growth outcomes may result from an adaptive coping process aimed at restructuring coherent post trauma life narratives. Limitations and the way forward will be discussed.
Abstract #139 Title: Promoting resilient driven coping in women who experienced stigmatised loss as a result of childhood sexual abuse Presenter: Baaqira Kays Ehraim (North-West University, South Africa) Co-Authors: Hayley Walker-Williams, Ansie Fouché Introduction: Child sexual abuse is recognised as a devastating trauma. Most interventions focus on treating symptoms with little attention given to addressing stigmatised loss as a unique trauma causing factor. Child sexual abuse leads to unacknowledged loss of life’s meaning and purpose, yet some women cope despite the complex losses. Methods: This study reports on the findings of the preliminary thematic content analysis exploring the resilient driven coping processes employed by these women. Qualitative secondary analysis of documents and transcriptions collected during a larger research project on an empirically developed strengths-based group intervention programme, for female adult survivors of CSA, entitled Survivor to Thriver (S2T), were employed. Transcriptions of two groups of women were used, comprising of 14 treatment sessions with 19 multicultural participants ranging from the ages of 18 to 56 years, spanning over a three year period. Findings: Themes of resilient driven coping were: spirituality, positive self-regard and increased self-awareness. These themes may be seen as unique markers in the recovery portfolio of these survivors. The findings will be used to further inform the S2T strengths-based group intervention programme. Limitations and the way forward will be discussed.
Abstract #145 Title: Rising above the trauma causing factors of childhood sexual abuse: Resilience enabling processes in a group of female survivors Presenter: Marinda Henning (North-West University, South Africa) Co-Authors: Hayley Walker-Williams, Ansie Fouché Introduction: The negative effect of childhood sexual abuse has devastating consequences for individuals due to the presence of unique trauma causing factors. Reports have shown that some survivors have a naturally ability to adapt positively despite these trauma causing dynamics. Methods: This study reports on the findings of the preliminary thematic analysis exploring the resilient driven coping processes employed by adult women who had experienced the unique trauma of childhood sexual abuse. Qualitative secondary analysis of documents and transcriptions collected during a larger research project on an empirically developed strengths-based group intervention programme, for female adult survivors of CSA, entitled Survivor to Thriver (S2T), were employed. Eight group treatment sessions with nine participants ranging from the ages of 18 to 36 years were analysed. Findings: Themes of resilient coping processes were: perseverance, a positive relationship with self, assisting others and spirituality. These themes may be seen as unique markers in the recovery portfolio of survivors. The findings will be used to further inform the S2T strengths-based intervention. Limitations and the way forward will be discussed.
