PHYS THER
Vol. 79, No. 3, March 1999, p. 269
Author Comment
Candice L Schachter, PhD, PT,
Carol A Stalker, MSW, PhD and
Eli Teram, PhD
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Introduction
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We are excited and gratified at the responses of the Conference participants. We believe that practicing sensitively is crucial in addressing the health care needs of survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and that sensitive practice will enhance all physical therapy practice.
Among other issues, the Conference participants commented on disclosure. The women who participated in our study had widely divergent opinions about whether a physical therapist should inquire about a history of abuse. This led us to propose that a task-oriented inquiry might be the most appropriate way for the physical therapist to proceed during the initial assessment: inviting information from the patient/client about specific areas of the body that are more sensitive to touch, about requirements for privacy and clothing, and about other similar matters. This approach may be a way for the clinician to proceed as safely as possible during the initial stage of treatment, while trust between patient and therapist is still developing. When trust is established, the patient may feel more comfortable with disclosure of the abuse.
We agree that asking about past abuse communicates to the patient that she is talking with someone who recognizes that such experiences are common and that they can affect health and well-being in many different ways. Physical therapists should be aware, however, that not all survivors welcome direct inquiries about abuse. Some women interviewed for our study consider such questions a violation of their privacy. We therefore recommend open-ended questions that allow the client to disclose whatever she (or he) considers relevant and appropriate.
Like the Conference participants, we urge physical therapists to increase their knowledge about violence and abuse and to reflect on their ability and willingness to deal with disclosure of abuse. When we ask about abuse experiences, we need to be able—and willing—to hear the answer and to respond with sensitivity and understanding. We refer the reader to the article by Teram et al.1 on the complexity of disclosure.
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References
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- Teram E, Schachter CL, Stalker CA. Opening the doors to disclosure: childhold sexual abuse survivors reflect on telling physical therapists about their trauma.
Physiotherapy.1999; 85(2):xxx–xxx.
Copyright © 1999 by the American Physical Therapy Association.
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