Correlation Exists Between Sexual Abuse

¶ … correlation exists between sexual abuse and a lifetime diagnose of psychiatric disorder. This being a meta- analysis, the authors conducted an online comprehensive research from years January 1990 to December 2008 on all age groups, in any language, and of 9 databases. Specific keywords scoured the web limiting themselves to epidemiological studies and focusing on concept areas of sexual abuse and psychiatric disorder. Six independent reviewers analyzed the relevant longitudinal studies in terms of descriptive, quality, and outcome data. The l (squared) statistic was used to assess heterogeneity, whilst Odds ration and 95% confidence intervals were used across the studies by means of the random-effects model.

The search yielded a cross-spectrum of studies composed of 3,162,318 participants; 37 of these were eligible studies, 20 were cohort, and 17 were case-control. Statistics showed significance between sexual abuse and lifetime anxiety disorder, depression, eating disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder; sleep disorder, and suicide attempts. This was regardless of victim's sex or age at which the abuse occurred. Correlation between sexual abuse and depression, eating disorders, and posttraumatic stress was reinforced if the factor was rape. There were no significant correlations between sexual abuse and schizophrenia or somatoform disorders, and no longitudinal studies that assessed bipolar disorder or obsessive-compulsive behavior were discovered.

Researchers concluded that there is a definite association between history of seclude abuse and lifetime indications of psychiatric disorder (Source: Chen, L., Murad, M., Paras, M., Colbenson, K., Sattler, A., Goranson, E., et al. (2010). Sexual abuse and lifetime diagnosis of psychiatric disorders: systematic review and meta-analysis. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 85(7), 618 -- 629. Retrieved from:

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Advantages and disadvantages of meta-analysis

Advantages of conducting meta-analysis are that they reduce the complexity and breadth of research that is existent on that specific topic thus -- very much like a literature review - giving researchers an overall picture of the most reliable and valid studies on the subject. Quality assessments can be made, the researcher is introduced to the latest research on the subject, and it enables him or her not to waste her time on repeat searches that will bring up irrelevant results.

Similar to a literature review but often more intense and broad, the meta-analysis differs from the literature review in that it highlights correlations and links between studies can critically assesses studies that it observes are invalid or that contribute inadequately to the subject.

Disadvantages, on the other hand, include the fact that bias and author's subjectivity selects studies therefore skewing results. Bias, for instance, may exist in terms of publication source, therefore omitting many other desirable sources from inclusion. Similarly, too, thesis or dissertations may be excluded even though they may be valuable to the theme. The researchers are faced with a quandary: including even one faulty study that can place the whole meta-analysis at risk. On the other hand, formulating inclusive and exclusive criteria that are too rigid may culminate in too small a sample size thus becoming statistically irrelevant. Researchers, therefore, have to strike for equilibrium.