Authors' recommendations: The evidence base for therapeutic programs for the treatment of in-patients with mental injury arising from sexual abuse has not yet matured. The number of publications which reported directly on this subject was small and comprised mostly pre- and post treatment studies. There were a number of studies that compared targeted treatment with waiting-list patients or “usual treatment”, but treatment allocation was not randomised. These studies, did however, present a consistent body of evidence (NHMRC evidence levels III and IV) that in-patient treatment for thesepatients does result in a marked decline in symptoms such as depression, anxiety and other trauma specific symptoms. Typically, improvement was durable for at least one year.There was a much larger and stronger body of evidence for the treatment of this group of patients (and/ or specific common diagnoses in this population), in a wider context. These studies tended to focus on specific items or aspects of therapy that could be incorporated into a number of different therapeutic settings.

Project Status: Completed

URL for project: http://www.healthsac.net/downloads/publications/ACC13%20Mental%20Injury%20030909%20FINAL_circ%20publication%20copy.pdf

Year Published: 2009

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: New Zealand

Organisation Name: Health Services Assessment Collaboration

Contact Address: University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand

Contact Name: hsac@canterbury.ac.nz

Contact Email: hsac@canterbury.ac.nz

Copyright: Health Services Assessment Collaboration (HSAC)