Psychological assessment in sexual abuse cases in childhood and adolescence / Avalia o psicológica em casos de abuso sexual na infancia e adolescência

Psychological assessment done with children and adolescents victims of sexual abuse is still a challenge for professionals due to the complexity of the phenomenon. This article aims to present the results of a psychological assessment method conducted with girls who were victims of sexual abuse. Ten girls with age raging from 9 to 13 years old were evaluated in three individual meetings. The results have shown that the sexual abuse lasted for, at least, one year before it was revealed. The girls presented symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety. The assessment method which was used showed to be efficient, favoring the creation of bonds, the knowledge of the sexual abuse history and the identification of related psychological symptoms.