The Health Care Provider's Role in the Disclosure of Sexual Abuse: The Medical Interview as the Gateway to Disclosure

Childhood sexual victimization continues to loom as a significant societal problem. Despite severe long-term consequences to adolescent victims of sexual abuse, minimal efforts have been made to incorporate approaches into the routine medical screenings to foster disclosure. In this article we examine the impact of a direct questioning approach as part of medical screenings at an inner-city adolescent health center. Findings suggest the efficacy of direct questioning to increase disclosures of sexual abuse that may have otherwise gone undetected. Implications for adolescents’ acceptance of psychotherapy and other follow-up referral resources are also discussed.