Volume 29, Issue 5, 2020
DOI: 10.24205/03276716.2020.1057
NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE: A LITERATURE REVIEW
Abstract
As reported in the literature, childhood maltreatment may impair proper cognitive development, which in later years can cause significant and lasting damage. The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic review of the studies that link alterations in
executive functions and sexual abuse in childhoodchildhood. The sample involved articles indexed
in PubMed and Web of Science that were identified through a selection of different
keywords. The 430 articles found were finally reduced to nine that met our inclusion
criteria. There are few studies presenting results on the impact of this type of maltreatment. Besides, it calls for future studies that include variables that have not been considered in previous studies.
Keywords
Child sexual abuse, Childhood development, Psychological stress, Executive function, Child maltreatment.