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If you are a survivor, please be careful in reading the information compiled here. It is impossible to give information on ritual abuse, and about people's opinions about ritual abuse, in a way that is not upsetting and/or triggering. Only you know how much is wise to read, and how much information you can absorb at one time.

Empirical Studies Related To Ritual Abuse

This bibliography was prepared in conjunction with the Extreme Abuse Survey.

In June 2007, a search of data bases covered by Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, Health Sources: Nursing/Academic Edition, PsycINFO, and PubMed yielded 47 empirical studies in which the term “ritual abuse” or a similar term,  i.e.,  “ritualistic abuse,” “satanic abuse,” “satanist abuse,” was used in the title, subject, or as a keyword.

The articles can be grouped into the following categories:

11    Child victims of ritual abuse
7      Clinical adult case studies
6      Surveys of mental health professionals
4      Analyses of clinical/archival data on multiple adult survivors
4      Psychometric studies with adult survivors
3      Simulation studies using university students as subjects
3      Prevalence studies of adult and child victims
2      Surveys of child agency workers
2      Historical case studies
2      Groups of adult RA survivors compared with other groups
2      Miscellaneous studies
1      Group of RA adults interviewed

Child victims of ritual abuse

1.         Interviewing techniques in sexual abuse cases--A comparison of a day-care abuse case with normal abuse cases. Schreiber, Nadja; Swiss Journal of Psychology - Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Psychologie - Revue Suisse de Psychologie, Vol 59(3), Sep 2000. pp. 196-206.
2.         Children’s religious knowledge: Implications for understanding satanic ritual abuse allegations. Goodman, Gail S.; Quas, Jodi A.; Bottoms, Bette L.; Child Abuse & Neglect, Vol 21(11), Nov 1997. pp. 1111-1130.
3.         Effects of ritual abuse: The results of three surveys in the Netherlands. Jonker, Fred; Jonker-Bakker, Ietjie; Child Abuse& Neglect, Vol 21(6), Jun 1997. pp. 541-556.
4.         Case studies of children presenting with a history of ritualistic abuse.  King. G. F.; Yorker, B. Journal of Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing Vol 9(2), Apri-June 1996.
5.         Children's patterns of disclosures and recantations of sexual and ritualistic abuse allegations in psychotherapy. Gonzalez, Lauren S.; Waterman, Jill; Kelly, Robert J.; Child Abuse & Neglect, Vol 17(2), Mar-Apr 1993. pp. 281-289.
6.         Experiences with Ritualist Child Sexual Abuse: A Case Study from the Netherlands. Jonker, F.; Jonker-Bakker, P.; Child Abuse and Neglect: The International Journal, v15 n3 p191-96 1991.
7.         Ritualistic child abuse in a neighborhood setting. Snow, Barbara; Sorensen, Teena; Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Vol 5(4), Dec 1990. pp. 474-487.
8.         Ritual, and child sexual abuse, but not ritual child sexual abuse. Gallagher, Bernard; Child Abuse Review, Vol 9(5), Sep-Oct 2000. pp. 321-327
9.         Parental stress response to sexual abuse and ritualistic abuse of children in day-care centers. Kelley, Susan J.; Nursing Research, Vol 39(1), Jan-Feb 1990. pp. 25-29.
10.       Stress responses of children to sexual abuse and ritualistic abuse in day care centers. Kelley, Susan J.; Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Vol 4(4), Dec 1989. pp. 502-513.
11.       Correlates for psychological, physical, emotional and ritualistic forms of child abuse among high school students in the Northern Province, South Africa. Madu, S. N.; Peltzer, K.; Southern African Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Vol 11(1), 1999. pp. 56-66.

Clinical adult case studies

1.         A case history of family and cult abuse. Ireland, Sharon J.; Ireland, Murray J.; Journal of Psychohistory, Vol 21(4), Spr 1994. Special issue: Cult abuse of children: Witch hunt or reality? pp. 417-428.
2.         Survivors of sadistic abuse: How to spot them. Feldman GC; Emergency Medicine, 1993 Aug; 25 (11): 83-7.
3.         Demonic possession as a consequence of childhood trauma. Hill, Sally; Goodwin, Jean R.; Journal of Psychohistory, Vol 20(4), Spr 1993. Special issue: Child abuse and world affairs. pp. 399-411.
4.         Dream wars: A case study of a woman with multiple personality disorder. Paley, Karen S.; Dissociation: Progress in the Dissociative Disorders, Vol 5(2), Jun 1992. pp. 111-116.
5.         Factitious disorder (Munchausen type) involving allegations of ritual Satanic abuse: A case report. Coons, Philip M.; Grier, Finlay; Dissociation: Progress in the Dissociative Disorders, Vol 3(4), Dec 1990. pp. 177-178.
6.         Coping skills of ritual abuse survivors: An exploratory study. Juhasz, Susan; Smith College Studies in Social Work, Vol 65(3), Jun 1995. pp. 255-267.
7.         Ritual abuse and recovery: Survivors’ personal accounts. Pike, Patricia L.; Mohline, Richard J.; Journal of Psychology & Theology, Vol 23(1), Spr 1995. pp. 45-55.

Surveys of mental health professionals

1.         “Recovered-memory” therapy: Profession at a turning point. Feigon, Elizabeth A.; de Rivera, Joseph; Comprehensive Psychiatry, Vol 39(6), Nov-Dec 1998. pp. 338-344.
2.         An analysis of ritualistic and religion-related child abuse allegations. Bottoms, Bette L.; Shaver, Phillip R.; Goodman, Gail S.; Law and Human Behavior, Vol 20(1), Feb 1996. pp. 1-34.
3.         Beliefs about the prevalence of dissociative identity disorder, sexual abuse, and ritual abuse among religious and nonreligious therapists. McMinn, Mark R.; Wade, Nathaniel G.; Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Vol 26(3), Jun 1995. pp. 257-261.
4.         The relationship between training of mental health professionals and the reporting of ritual abuse and multiple personality disorder symptomatology. Bucky, Steven F.; Dalenberg, Constance; Journal of Psychology & Theology, Vol 20(3), Fal 1992. Special issue: Satanic ritual abuse: The current state of knowledge. pp. 233-238.
5.         Ritual Abuse: Consequences for Professionals. By: Youngson, Sheila C. Child Abuse Review, Dec93, Vol. 2 Issue 4, p251-262, 12p; (AN 12147032)
6.         Counselors’ beliefs about ritual abuse: An Australian study. Schmuttermaier, John; Veno, Arthur; Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, Vol 8(3), 1999. pp. 45-63.

Analyses of clinical/archival data on multiple adult survivors

1.         Reports of satanic ritual abuse: Further implications about pseudomemories. Coons, Philip M.; Perceptual and Motor Skills, Vol 78(3, Pt 2), Spec Issue, Jun 1994. pp. 1376-1378.
2.         Patients reporting ritual abuse in childhood: A clinical syndrome: Report of 37 cases. Young, Walter C.; Sachs, Roberta G.; Braun, Bennett G.; Child Abuse & Neglect, Vol 15(3), 1991. pp. 181-189.
3.         The role of sex and pregnancy in Satanic cults. Sachs, Roberta G.; Journal of Prenatal & Perinatal Psychology & Health, Vol 5(2), Win 1990. pp. 105-113.
4.         Presenting features in adult victims of satanist ritual abuse. Coleman, Joan; Child Abuse Review, Vol 3(2), Jun 1994. pp. 83-92.

Psychometric studies with adult survivors

1.         The role of media and hospital exposure on Rorschach response patterns by patients reporting satanic ritual abuse. Leavitt, Frank; Labott, Susan M.; American Journal of Forensic Psychology, Vol 18(2), 2000. pp. 35-55.
2.         Revision of the Word Association Test for assessing associations of patients reporting satanic ritual abuse in childhood. Leavitt, Frank; Labott, Susan M.; Journal of Clinical Psychology, Vol 54(7), Nov 1998. pp. 933-943.
3.         Psychometric measures of trauma among psychiatric patients reporting ritual abuse. Noblitt, James Randall; Psychological Reports, Vol 77(3, Pt 1), Dec 1995. pp. 743-747.
4.         Clinical correlates of alleged satanic abuse and less controversial sexual molestation. Leavitt, Frank; Child Abuse& Neglect, Vol 18(4), Apr 1994. pp. 387-392.

Simulation studies using university students as subjects

1.         Cultural scripts, memories of childhood abuse, and multiple identities: A study of role-played enactments. Stafford, Jane; Lynn, Steven Jay; International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, Vol 50(1), Jan 2002. pp. 67-85.
2.         Jurors’ reactions to satanic ritual abuse allegations. Bottoms, Bette L.; Diviak, Kathleen R.; Davis, Suzanne L.; Child Abuse & Neglect, Vol 21(9), Sep 1997. pp. 845-859.
3.         Repressed memory lawsuits: Potential verdict predictors. Schutte, James W.; Behavioral Sciences & the Law, Vol 12(4), Fal 1994. pp. 409-416.

Prevalence studies of adult and child victims

1.         Prevalence of child psychological, physical, emotional, and ritualistic abuse among high school students in Mpumalanga Province of South Africa. Madu, S. N.; Psychological Reports, Vol 89(2), Oct 2001. pp. 431-444.
2.         The prevalence of child psychological, physical, emotional, and ritualistic abuse among high school students in the Northern Province, South Africa. Madu, S. N.; Peltzer, K.; Southern African Journal of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Vol 10(2), 1998. Special issue: Adolescence. pp. 80-92.
3.         Task force study of ritual crime. Maddox, Michael P.; Cultic Studies Journal, Vol 8(2), 1991. pp. 191-250.

Surveys of child agency workers

1.         A comparison of protective service workers’ perceptions of ritual and sexual abuse in children: An exploratory study. Lewandowski, Cathleen A.; Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, Vol 4(2), 1995. pp. 67-81.
2.         Assessment and intervention in cases of suspected ritual child sexual abuse. Gallagher, Bernard; Child Abuse Review, Vol 10(4), Jul-Aug 2001. pp. 227-242.

Historical case studies

1.         False claims of victimization: A historical illustration of a contemporary problem. Sjöberg, Rickard L.; Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, Vol 56(2), 2002. pp. 132-136.
2.         False allegations of satanic abuse: Case studies from the witch panic in Rättvik 1670-71. Sjöberg, R. L.; European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Vol 6(4), Dec 1997. pp. 219-226.

Groups of adult RA survivors compared with other groups

1.         Supernatural Support Groups: Who Are the UFO Abductees and Ritual-Abuse Survivors? Bader, Christopher D.; Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol 42(4), Dec 2003. pp. 669-678.
2.         Psychological sequelae in adult females reporting childhood ritualistic abuse. Lawrence, Kathy J.; Cozolino, Louis; Foy, David W.; Child Abuse & Neglect, Vol 19(8), Aug 1995. pp. 975-984.

Miscellaneous studies

2.         Satanist abuse and alien abduction: A comparative analysis theorizing temporal lobe activity as a possible connection between anomalous memories. Paley, John; British Journal of Social Work, Vol 27(1), Feb 1997. pp. 43-70.

Group of RA adults interviewed

1.         Adults who report childhood ritualistic abuse. Shaffer, Ruth E.; Cozolino, Louis J.; Journal of Psychology & Theology, Vol 20(3), Fal 1992. Special issue: Satanicritualabuse: The current state of knowledge. pp. 188-193.

 

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