A Comparative Analysis of the Personality Assessment Inventory Scale Scores of Adults Sexually Abused as Children by Clergy and Non-Clergy
[Thesis]
Espitia, Ashley
Madero, James N.
Alliant International University
2020
82
Psy.D.
Alliant International University
2020
Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is unfortunately a frequent form of child maltreatment. In light of recent allegations against religious institutions, literature on Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (ASCSA) perpetrated clergy is expanding. The present study reports on the psychological functioning of both males and females perpetrated by either religious leaders (n = 39) and non-religious affiliated persons (n = 43) using the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI). The present study utilized archival data. PAI data was collected at the Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT) and the Trauma Resolution and Integration Program (TRIP). Mann Whitney-U tests indicated that there were between-group differences. Specifically, the ASCSA perpetrated by clergy were significantly higher on scales related to alcohol usage, antisocial behaviors, and aggression, while the ASCSA perpetrated by non-clergy were significantly higher on scales related to anxiety, somatization, self-persecution, and isolation. This suggests that there was an overall trend of externalizing behaviors reported by ASCSA perpetrated by clergy and internalizing symptoms reported by ASCSA perpetrated by non-clergy within the present study. The ASCSA perpetrated by non-clergy perpetrators consisted of family, professionals, friends, strangers, neighbors and multiple. It is possible that perceived betrayal may have been higher for victims perpetrated by family members and subsequently increased internalization of symptoms. It is also possible that having multiple perpetrators may have contributed to higher levels of anxiety. Additionally, gender may have contributed to externalizing and internalizing, as there were more males in the ASCSA perpetrated by clergy group.