| Child maltreatment is a substantial problem in the United States. Although many studies have examined the risks and effects of child abuse, there have been few research studies on the subjective experience of child abuse. Despite everything that is known about abuse, virtually nothing is understood about how a survivor experiences and makes meaning from their experience. Narrative analysis of survivors' autobiographies was used to expand upon the previous research and examine the holistic experience of child abuse. Eight published autobiographies were chosen and subsequently read to fully understand each author's experience of his or her child abuse. Twenty-five common themes were established with the most prevalent including suicidal ideation, failure of social systems, and longing for affection from abuser. |
