Treating Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse from a Systemic Perspective

This paper examines a systemic approach to a specific form of child sexual abuse, father-daughter incest. While the father is responsible for the sexual abuse per se, a systems approach to incest believes that there are a variety of family dynamics present in incestuous families. These family dynamics center around structural issues (particularly regarding boundaries), problem-solving deficiencies, and dysfunctional communication patterns. Sample family treatment programs are examined. The goals of these programs center around changing family structure, enhancing conflict resolutions skills, and altering family communication patterns. Preliminary treatment outcome data for these family treatment programs is promising.