An Elizabethtown College social work professor recently published a study that indicates a mother's experience of sexual abuse does not increase the risk of her physically abusing her children, but how she resolves the trauma of abuse does.

Susan Mapps' findings were published in the journal Child Abuse & Neglect in November.

Mapps, 36, said Monday her study was born out of the dissertation she wrote while getting her doctorate at University of Houston four years ago.

About one-third of women who were sexually abused later physically abuse their children, said Mapps, who has been a social work professor at Elizabethtown College for four years.

She said she theorized that a number of factors — including substance abuse, social support, family income and partner violence — increased the risk of a sexually abused mother physically abusing her children.

Mapps' research revealed something else, however: A mother's sexual abuse was found to affect maternal depression, and that depression increased the risk of a mother physically abusing her children.

As part of her study, Mapps analyzed data from 265 women who were sexually abused as children.

Mapps said girls who revealed sexual abuse had a tendency to deal with the experience and move on.

"A girl that doesn't discuss it — it almost eats away at them like indigestion," Mapps said.

To stop the physical abuse it's necessary to stop the stigma surrounding sexual abuse, Mapps said.

"The impact of training for counselors and caseworkers is also important," Mapps said.

"The needs of these women vary on an individual basis."

Madelyn Pennino's e-mail address is mpennino@lnpnews.com.