The Internal Worlds of Sexually Abused Looked-After Children

ABSTRACT This study seeks to further elucidate the internal worlds of sexually abused “looked-after” children using quantitative and psychodynamic qualitative methods. It employs Story Stem Assessment Profile (SSAP) data to explore representations of self and other within a latency-aged (5–10 years) sample who are “looked-after” and were known to have experienced historical sexual abuse (SA). The SSAP’s coding system is harnessed for comparisons of SA children with both generic maltreated (MALT) and normative (COMM) groups, and a psychoanalytically informed thematic analysis of the narrative data is undertaken to shed light on unconscious patterns of representation. Eight codes that were statistically significant for the SA group were explored alongside three key qualitative themes (blurred boundaries, sense of threat and sound). The study presents considerations for future research and clinical intervention by illustrating how the impact of sexual abuse can manifest in children’s internal worlds.