The Multiple Barriers to Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse – Dr. Delphine Collin-Vézina – Keynote Address

Delphine Collin-Vézina, Ph.D., is the Tier II Canadian Research Chair in Child Welfare. She is a clinical and developmental psychologist that has developed a strong interest in research and clinical topics related to social work, including child welfare and child maltreatment. Prior to joining McGill University’s School of Social Work as an Assistant Professor, she completed a postdoctoral degree that fulfilled her wishes to conduct studies on the short- and long-term consequences of child sexual abuse. Dr. Collin-Vézina hopes to contribute to the field by developing cues for designing early and effective therapeutic and preventative interventions to traumatized children. She would like to acquire a better understanding of the individual, familial, social and cultural factors that impact upon the development of traumatic sequel. Dr. Collin-Vézina studies the incidence of sexual violence in Canada, and the related prevalence rates for at-risk populations (e.g., victims of other forms of maltreatments; First Nations’ people; and, adolescent girls with psychiatric problems, such as eating disorders). To this end, she is developing a research program for the diverse subpopulations of sexually abused children from different health and social services settings. Dr. Collin-Vézina’s research is informed by theoretical concepts in attachment and resiliency. Her background as a clinical psychologist influences her strong focus on the strengths and coping capacities of the sexually abused children and their families.