THE IMPACT OF SEXUAL ABUSE ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN NORTHERN GHANA

Abstract

This study seeks to find out the impact of childhood sexual abuse on the psychologicalwell-being of the abusers. A sample of 380 Senior High School students was randomly selected from the Northern region of Ghana. The data was collected through the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being and the Childhood Experience of Violence Questionnaire (CEVQ) instruments. One-Way ANOVA and t-tests were used to analyse the results. The results from the analyses indicated that there was no difference between males and females experience of CSA on psychological well-being. Results also showed those students who experienced both forms of CSA (contact and non-contact) reported significantly less psychological well- being than students who experienced no CSA or only one form of CSA. Results further indicated that students who have experienced actual sex perpetrated by family members experienced less psychological well-being than students who experienced actual sex perpetrated by others. Recommendations were made to the Ministries of Education, Health and Defence to train and employ more psychologists to ameliorate the situation in Ghana.