Laumann et al.

[Evan Harrington <EVAN-H@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris Browning asked if I referred to the Laumann study when I
said that CSA research offered biased estimates of the effect of
CSA on adault maladjustment by relying on clinical samples.  I see
that the wording of my last letter was ambiguous: The biased literature
I referred was not directed at Laumann et al..  The Laumann study
offers an estimate of the impact of CSA on adult sexual functioning,
and was used by Rind et al. in their meta-analysis of CSA effects.
CSA researchers have, in the past, often relied on clinical or
legal samples, which are not representative of the entire population
of persons with CSA experiences.  Rind and Tromovich (1997) computed
effect sizes for the statistics offered by Laumann et al. and found the
effects to be small in magnitude.

Rind, B., & Tromovich, P. (1997).  A meta-analytic review of findings
from national samples on psychological correlates of child sexual abuse.
_Journal of Sex Research, 34_, 237-255.


You mentioned that you and Laumann published an article in 1997 on
the effects found in this survey.  I will look for that article and
make sure that Dr. Rind has a copy.  He may have one, I don't know.
I've worked closely with Rind on other projects, but not on that one.

Thanks for your input!



Evan R. Harrington, Ph.D.