Attitudes of african american adults toward treatment in cases of child sexual abuse

The attitudes of 155 African American adults toward the need for treatment in cases of child sexual abuse were assessed. These attitudes were assessed in relation to the following variables: Age, sex, educational level, income, knowledge of short and long term effects, the circumstances and the nature of the abuse, and expectations regarding interactions with treatment facilities. In addition, attitudes toward other intervention facilities and agencies were assessed. The results indicated that attitudes toward treatment and intervention agencies had a significant impact on the treatment- seeking attitudes of African Americans that was dependent upon marital status. However, consistent with previous studies, partici­pants generally held favorable attitudes toward mental health ser­vices and felt that treatment would yield positive results.