INTERVENTIONS IN WORKING WITH LATINO CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE SURVIVORS

1
INTERVENTIONS IN WORKING WITH LATINO CHILD SEXUAL
ABUSE SURVIVORS

• Diana Garza Louis,
• LPC-S, LMFT-S, LSOTP-S, RPT
• Rio Grande Counseling Center
• dglouis_at_aol.com

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CSA and Latinos

• Latinos are less likely to seek mental health
  interventions.
• Non-Latinos tend to report that nothing happened
  when they disclosed abuse.
• Latinos report that child sexual abuse is more
  serious than non-latinos, possibly indicating
  that attitudes toward sexual abuse leads to more
  action taken by Latinos.
• Latinos report more abuse by extended family
  members. Clinical studies indicate that relatives
  are more likely to sexually abuse Latinos than
  White or Black children.
• The most likely family perpetrator was a brother.
• Other studies indicate that step fathers are the
  most likely to molest within the family.
• Carrasco Garza Louis
• Amor afiliativo, entenada (Rolando Diaz
  Loving)

3
Cultural Issues

• Virginity
• a woman who loses her virginity to rape, incest,
  or molestation is seen as a promiscuous woman. 
• If there was no penetration, then shes alright,
  (nothing serious happened)
• Guilt
• Respect for cultural norms, but educate regarding
  responsibility
• Fear of the legal system
• Family loyalty and privacy
• Warmth
• Psycho-education as a starting point

4
TF-CBT

• Is a structured, directive active
• model of treatment
• Safety
• Education
• Activity
• Disclosure
• Externalization
• Trust and letting go

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SAFETY

• Physical
• Emotional
• Hyper-vigilance
• Self care/calm
• Need for medication
• Risk of suicide

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EDUCATION
NCTSN National Child Traumatic Stress
Network http//www.nctsn.org/resources/audiences
American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry http//www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_
families US. Department of Health and Human
Services www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/trauma
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Activity

• Free play
• Puppets
• Stories
• Worksheets/exercises
• Abuse prevention

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RELAXATION

• Breathing
• Progressive relaxation
• Reading poetry, rhyme, guided imagery
• Yoga, drumming, tapping
• Music Listening, singing, natural sounds,
  rhythym
• Gaskill CTA, 2008

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SELF REGULATION

• Signs of stress
• My body and stress
• Stress management game
• Problem scenarios
• Crisci, Lay, Lowenstein, 1998

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SENSORY STIMULATION

• Sand tray, clay, play dough
• Ceramics, sculpture
• Songs, stories, music
• Painting and coloring
• Rituals, routines
• Connecting
• Closure Gaskill CTA, 2008

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Processing Information
My Story Paper dolls Brave bears
Mi Historia Muñecos de papel
Crisci, Lay, Lowenstein, 1998
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DISCLOSURE

• Identify triggers and reminders
• Drawing the abuse
• Puppets
• Narrative
• Role play
• Telling others
• My story
• Brave Little Bears Crisci, Lay, Lowenstein,
  1998

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Stories And The Narrative Of The Traumatic
Experience

• Teach us through archetypes
• Help us learn how the world works
• Help us understand good and bad through narrative
  
• Helps with Gestalt sequencing
• Builds a representation of reality
• Gaskill CTA, 2008

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EXTERNALIZING

• Integration of traumatic experiences
• Express discomfort in various situations
• Define Limits
• Eliminate secrets
• Confront the perpetrator (when and if
  appropriate)

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TRUST AND LETTING GO

• Relational Re-connection
• Mom and I
• Who Can Help Me?
• What Will They Say?
• Kids Without Guilt
• Crisci, Lay, Lowenstein, 1998

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RECOVERY

• Memory
• Level of affect and tolerance
• Symptom management
• Grounded
• Safe
• Appropriate reality testing
• Improved self esteem
• Attachment
• Mutual non-exploitive relationships
• Meaning interpretation

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References

• Arroyo, Judith A. Simpson, Tracy L. Aragon,
  Alfredo S. (1997) Childhood sexual abuse among
  Hispanic and non-Hispanic White college women
  Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences,
  February.
• Bratton, S., Ray, D. Rhine, T. (2005) The
  efficacy of play therapy with children A
  meta-analytic review of treatment outcomes,
  Professional Psychology Research and Practice,
  36 (4) 376-390.
• California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse
  www.cachildwelfareclearinghouse.org
• Crisi, Lay, Lowenstein (1998) Paper dolls and
  paper airplanes Kids Rights JIST Publishing
  Indianapolis, IN.

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Gaskill, R. (2008) Neuroscience and play
therapy Association for Play Therapy Mining
Report, July, 2008. http//www.a4pt.org/download.
cfm?ID25623 Gil, E. (2006) Helping abused and
traumatized children Integrating directive and
nondirective approaches, NY Gilford
Press. Kaduson, H. Schaefer, C. (1997) 101
Favorite Play Therapy Techniques Jason
Aaronson. Marvasti, J. A (1993) Please hurt me
again Posttraumatic play therapy with an abused
child. In T. Kottman and C. Schaefer, Play
therapy in action A casebook for practitioners,
pp 485-525 Northvale, New Jersey, l Jason
Aronson. National Child Traumatic Stress Network
(2007) http//www.nctsn.org Preliminary
Adaptations for Working with Traumatized
Latino/Hispanic Children and their Families.
19
Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault Blog
(2010) Friday Facts Hispanics/Latinos Sexual
Violence Awareness on September 24. Schaefer, C.
E. (1994) Play therapy for psychic trauma in
children, in K. J. OConnor C. E. Schaefer,
Handbook of Play Therapy Vol. two, Advances and
Innovations, 297-318 New York, John
Wiley. Shelby, J. and Felix, E. Posttraumatic
Play Therapy (2005) The need for an integrated
model of directive and nondirective approaches in
Reddy, L., Files-Hall, T, and Schaefer, C.
Empirically based play therapy interventions for
children pp.79-103. Washington, DC American
Psychological Association.