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    A grounded theory of the role of family in recovery and healing from child sexual abuse : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 2005) Morrison, Lana Jane
    This thesis presents an exploration of therapist perceptions of the role of family in recovery and healing from Child Sexual Abuse (CSA). Consistent with the individualistic focus of Western society, the international body of literature tends to focus on intrapsychic effects and processes of CSA rather than emphasising the ecological and systemic influences which interact with CSA events. Consistent with the New Zealand Ministry of Health's calls to be more inclusive of family in mental health issues, this investigation attempted to provide new understandings of CSA from an ecological and systemic perspective. A grounded theory methodology was utilised. This incorporated the analysis of therapist data collected from a combination of focus groups, key informant interviews and a national survey. The core social process which emerged was "Belonging, Estrangement and Reintegratio". This model of recovery and healing in sexually abused families recognises the impact that abuse and neglect has across generations of a family, the evolving nature of their relationships before, during and after the sexual abuse event(s), and the impact these relationships have on the healing journey. Parallel to the core social process were a number of contextual variables which interacted with therapist practices. These factors influenced how practitioners conceptualise and work with sexually abused families. For the most part, these variables were barriers to including family in the recovery process. It is hoped that the themes which emerged from this investigation will further inform practice in the field by identifying ways in which therapists can successfully incorporate and address contextual family factors to facilitate recovery and healing. It is also hoped that this investigation will alert organisations to the ecological barriers which therapists encounter and which hinder their ability to incorporate family factors in their practice.
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    The relationships between counsellors' orientation, experiences and training and their conceptualization of their tasks in the healing process in sexual abuse counselling : a qualitative analysis : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1992) Stevens, Susan Ellen
    Eight counsellors registered with the Accident Compensation Corporation as sexual abuse counsellors participated in qualitative research employing semi-structured, in-depth interviews. A qualitative approach was used to explore previously unidentified variables in sexual abuse counselling, and the relationships among these. Transcribed interviews were analysed for recurrent regularities in themes and dynamics. Four overall themes emerged that appeared most salient in influencing counsellor's conceptualization of the tasks and processes involved in treating the effects of sexual abuse. These themes were (1) counsellor's orientation; (2) training and development; (3) understanding of the dynamics, issues, and effects of sexual abuse; and (4) personal experience of abuse. These variables have implications for both the practice of sexual abuse counselling and for future research.
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    Re-negotiating meanings : a grounded theory of core factors in healing shame in adult survivors of sexual abuse : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University
    (Massey University, 1997) Cody, Tracey-Lynne
    Shame is an issue for survivors of sexual abuse that has received little attention in the literature. Eight experienced therapists following different therapeutic orientations were interviewed about their conceptualisations of shame in sexual abuse survivors and the process of healing from shame. The interview data was analysed using the grounded theory method of qualitative analysis and a theory of core factors in the healing process across therapeutic orientations was derived. Findings suggest that the child victim of sexual abuse makes meaning of their experiences, a process influenced by a number of contextual domains. The key meanings of being responsible for the abuse or being somehow defective as a consequence of abuse were found to be central to the development of shame, and were linked to a number of sequelae by respondents. The core factors in the respondents' conceptualisations of the process of healing shame involved re-negotiating the meanings the child had formed, and this process was made up of five key areas; developing trust in the therapeutic relationship, building a positive sense of self, facing the shamed self, contextualisation and integration. Attention was also given to gender issues in order to discover similarities or differences in the experiences and healing process for male survivors of sexual abuse. Findings suggest that respondents' saw shame in sexual abuse and the healing process as being the same for males and females, with differences being largely the result of socialisation practices. Implications of findings are discussed.