Running head: KNOWING WHAT CORRELATIONS EXIST REVIEW

Knowing What Correlations Exist Review

Christopher Allen
Wayne State University
SW 3810

Knowing What Correlations Exist Review

Problem Formulation
In the article titled Journal of Sexual Child Abuse the research pertained to assess the
experience of children after they are sexually abused and if it has any correlation with the
emotional distress and anogenital findings found during the medical examination after the abuse.
The populations that the study is centered around are obviously children that were sexually
abused and are currently experiencing emotional distress during anogenital examinations. All the
children have been filtered through the Child Protection Team at Primary Childrens Medical
Center in Salt Lake City.
269 children out of 512 that met two criteria to be at least 3 years old and who was
reported by the adult bringing the child in stating they had been victims of sexual abuse.
According to the study The children were 77% girls and 23% boys. The mean age of these
patients was 7.9 years (SD = 3.8). The ethnic composition of the sample was 3% African
American, 66% Anglo-American, 13% Hispanic, 9% Native-American and 9% endorsed
Other as an option.(Gully, Hansen, Britton, Langley, McBride p. 18 2000). The hypothesis in
the study is that While studies have been done describing anogenital changes which may occur
as the result of child sexual abuse, there is a lack of knowledge about whether these changes are
related to specific information obtained in the sexual abuse history such as the number of abusive
events or the perceived amount of force used at the time of the abuse (Gully et al., p. 16-17
2000).

Knowing What Correlations Exist Review

Research design
When doing the study the researchers the children were examined individually by two
pediatricians or a nurse practitioner who have been prevalent in sexual abuse cases. The research
is definitely using qualitative methods. Most of the examinations were done after 72 hours of
sexual abuse. The research design was set up in steps and the first step was the adult was to take
a history form and the answers to that questionnaire determined the next step. The examination
methods were very detailed. The article states Each medical examination had two components.
First, each child was given a general physical examination. Second, the colposcopic anogenital
examination was completed (Gully et al., p.20 2000). The children were scored on both verbal
and facial expressions.
The research was so in-depth on what they wanted in their study and the variables are
controlled heavily even before the examination began. The researchers did not focus on one
particular race or ethnicity but just children in general. The examiners were frequently, but not
necessarily, blind about the alleged sexual abuse history of the children when the GEDS was
rated (Gully et al., p. 20). The study focused on many different outlooks on the sexual abuse and
emotional distress outcomes like frequency of abuse, the number of perpetrators, amount of
forced used, threats made, injury, severity of sexual acts, and if the child was believed by the
mother or not. The predicted outcome of the research of the kids being affected at the times when
going through the examination is undeniably in correlation making the internal validity
outstanding. As stated the examination was very controlled but the results of the research can
benefit all of the sexually abused children. The findings of the research can be generalized
enough to fit all children that suffer from emotional distress for sexual abuse.

Knowing What Correlations Exist Review

Sampling
The study is centered on sexual abused children even though adults begin the initial
interactions with the researchers. The children that participated in the study met two criteria
which included age and way the abuse was reported. They had all mostly been questioned by law
enforcement or child protective services. The percentage of girls was significantly higher than
boys 77% compared to 23%. The research did not state if all the children were from Salt Lake
City but they all had been seen through the Child Protection Team at Primary Childrens Medical
Center in Salt Lake City from January 1995 through April of 1996.
I believe the sampling in the research is not really representative of all children mostly
because 77% of the children participating are girls, also in the study 79% of the participants were
also classified as either Hispanic or Anglo-American and that is not a good representation of the
children in America at all because we are a very diverse country. The kids were also just filtered
through the medical Center in Salt Lake City but it doesnt say where the sexual abuse actually
happened as in a location. That is one variable that is not controlled. I believe the type of
sampling is nonprobability sampling mostly because the researchers personal judgment are being
represented. The definite disadvantages of the sampling chose in the literature.
Measurement
The main variable was l the children that were selected to participate in the study was to
inquire about the sexual abuse history they asked be filled out. The other part of the study after
the initial examination by the instructors is 5-point scale with facial and verbal descriptions
ranging from a smiling face with the label of very good scored as a 1 to a face with an
inverted smile with the label of very bad scored as a 5 (Gully et al., p. 20). The Genital

Knowing What Correlations Exist Review

Examination Distress scale was also a variable of measurement used in the study. The study main
purpose is to determine if abnormal anogenital findings related to sexual abuse are in correlation
with emotional distress. If any of the variables were to change the study would not be as accurate
because those levels of measurement are what determine if the child is affected of not.
Data Collection
Most of the Data collected in the study comes from the study itself and what the medical
examiners developed from their examination with the children. There are also a few past studies
for example Examination findings in legally confirmed child sexual abuse: Its normal to be
normal and Child sexual abuse: Relationship between sexual acts and genital findings. Many
are from the journal titled Child Abuse and Neglect. The problem that I could potentially see
about the collection of the data used in the study is that it is mostly from that particular Journal
and it would be definitely more conclusive it was pulled from multiple journals.
Ethics and Cultural Considerations
I strongly believe that the research could have been stronger in the aspect of all races
instead of being 66% Anglo-American and only being a significantly small percentage of other
races and not representative at all of Asian American and Pacific-Islander .in the study they state
In the general Utah population, 88% of the children are identified as Caucasian which includes
the categories of Hispanic and Non-Hispanic (Gully et al., p. 18). The study could have been
more consciences about race and covered all race because sexual abuse happens to more than
just the population represented. The researchers definitely could have chosen in my opinion a
better sampling method along with the two criteria that had to be met to be in the study.
Results and Implications

Knowing What Correlations Exist Review

They found that there is definitely a correlation between the aspects of the reported
sexually abusive experience for children with data collected about emotional distress and
anogenital results. The results in the study also state More reported instances of sexual abuse
and alleged physical injury were significantly associated with the children feeling worse about
their bodies being examined (Gully et al., p. 21 2000). The hypothesis chosen beforehand was
correct. I do feel like that the research findings were very valid dealing with children that were
sexually abused. Many variables were controlled increasing the validity but it could have been
stronger if more of the other races were represented.
The research can be useful in addressing whether emotional distress, sexual abuse and
anogenital findings do have a correlation and could be useful to other researchers as a reference
but not as something to draw a general conclusion from... I say this because more than half of the
study is focused on Anglo-American and it challenges the studies validity and children that suffer
from sexual abuse are not predominately that race.

Knowing What Correlations Exist Review

References
Gully, K. J., Hansen, K., Britton, H., Langley, M., & McBride, K. K. (2000). The child sexual
abuse experience and the child sexual abuse medical examination: Knowing what
correlations exist. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 9(1), 15-27. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com.proxy.lib.wayne.edu/docview/61458390?accountid=14925