Emotional Betrayal From Child Sexual Abuse Measure (EBCSAM)

Abstract

The Emotional Betrayal From Child Sexual Abuse Measure (EBCSAM), alternatively known as the Child Sexual Abuse and Betrayal Questionnaire, was developed by Wolf, Linn, and Butler in 2023. This 6-item instrument is designed to quantitatively assess the profound feelings of betrayal trauma experienced by adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA).

A key feature of the EBCSAM is its comprehensive evaluation of betrayal, which includes feelings directed not only toward the perpetrator but also toward non-offending individuals within the survivor’s immediate social circle, such as family members and friends, who failed to protect or respond appropriately during or after the abuse period. The scale’s content was derived from established measures, namely the Institutional Betrayal Questionnaire (IBQ; Smith & Freyd, 2013) and the Betrayal subscale of the Measures of Stigma, Betrayal, Powerlessness, and Self-Blame (Coffey et al., 1996). Initial validation utilized an anonymous online survey administered to CSA survivors, with detailed psychometric properties reported in the subsequent publication.

Keywords

Adult Attitudes, Adult Survivors, Betrayal Trauma, Child Abuse, Child Sexual Abuse, Emotional Betrayal by Others, Emotional Betrayal by the Perpetrator, Emotional Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Survivors, Trauma Measures

Authors

Wolf, Molly R.; Linn, Braden K.; Butler, Lisa D.

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Purpose

The primary purpose of the EBCSAM is to serve as a specialized assessment tool for clinicians and researchers working with adult survivors of child sexual abuse. By specifically targeting the emotional consequences of betrayal, the scale helps illuminate aspects of relational trauma often overlooked by general trauma inventories.

The instrument is designed to reveal and quantify the extent to which the survivor has been impacted by feelings of emotional betrayal, facilitating targeted therapeutic interventions and providing empirical data for studies on the long-term effects of complex trauma and interpersonal violence.

Construct

The EBCSAM is designed to measure the psychological construct of Child Sexual Abuse Betrayal. This construct recognizes that the trauma of CSA is compounded by the violation of trust, both by the abuser (often a trusted figure) and by the environment (family, institution, or community members) that failed to intervene or protect the victim.

Validity

Specific data regarding criterion or convergent validity were not detailed in the provided abstract. Further research is required to fully establish the external validity of the EBCSAM, although its derivation from established measures (the Institutional Betrayal Questionnaire and the Betrayal subscale) suggests foundational conceptual validity.

Reliability

The internal consistency of the EBCSAM was assessed during its initial validation study. High reliability was demonstrated for the overall scale, with a reported Cronbach’s α coefficient of .85. This value indicates a strong degree of homogeneity among the 6 items, suggesting that they consistently measure the underlying construct of emotional betrayal.

Factor Analysis

The scale underwent rigorous statistical validation using both Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), conducted after the removal of non-contributing items, supported a robust two-factor solution. These two factors collectively accounted for 74.18% of the total variance, confirming the multidimensional nature of betrayal trauma in this context.

Subsequently, a two-factor Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was performed, which initially resulted in a good fitting model. To further optimize the model fit, modification indices suggested allowing specific error terms to covary (items 8 and 10). The final, refined CFA model demonstrated excellent fit statistics, surpassing conventional thresholds: Confirmatory Fit Index (CFI) = .99; Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) = .99; Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = .05; and Standardized Root Mean Squared Residual (SRMR) = .03.

Instrument

Test Type: Original Inventory/Questionnaire

Format: The EBCSAM is designed for electronic administration. It consists of 6 items, each requiring a rating based on a five-point Likert-style response option scale: Not at all, A little bit, Moderately, Quite a bit, and Extremely.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Adulthood (18 years & older)

Population Details: The validation sample consisted of adult survivors of child sexual abuse residing in the United States.

Test Methodology: The scale development and validation process utilized comprehensive psychometric methods, including Test Reliability assessment, Internal Consistency calculation, Factor Analysis (both Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Exploratory Factor Analysis).

Keywords

Adult Attitudes, Adult Survivors, Betrayal Trauma, Child Abuse, Child Sexual Abuse, Childhood Sexual Abuse, Emotional Betrayal by Others, Emotional Betrayal by the Perpetrator, Emotional Trauma, Sexual Abuse, Survivors, Trauma Measures

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Authors

Author ORCID Identifier:

• Wolf, Molly R.: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4939-1412 (PennWest University, Department of Social Work)

• Linn, Braden K.: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8068-1795 (State University of New York, University at Buffalo School of Social Work)

• Butler, Lisa D.: No data is Available (State University of New York, University at Buffalo School of Social Work)

Affiliation Email addresses:

• Wolf, Molly R.: [email protected]

Correspondence Address:

• Wolf, Molly R.: PennWest University, Department of Social Work, 235 Scotland Road, Hendricks Hall, G33, Edinboro, Pennsylvania, United States, 16444, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

• Permissions: May be used for Research/Teaching.

• Commercial: No

• Fee: No

• Test Year: 2023

Reference’s

Wolf, M. R., Linn, B. K., & Butler, L. D. (2024). Emotional Betrayal From Child Sexual Abuse Measure (EBSCAM): A psychometric analysis. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 16(3), 416–424. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/tra0001514

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Items of the Emotional Betrayal From Child Sexual Abuse Measure (EBCSAM)

This is a 6-item scale. The test items are available in Appendix B, Page 9 of the source publication by Wolf, Linn, & Butler (2024).

Response Options:

• Not at all

• A little bit

• Moderately

• Quite a bit

• Extremely

Subscales:

• Emotional Betrayal by the Perpetrator Subscale: Items 1, 3

• Emotional Betrayal by Others Subscale: Items 2, 4, 5, 6