NCJ Number
61656
Journal
American Journal of Psychiatry Volume: 136 Issue: 10 Dated: (OCTOBER 1979) Pages: 1278-1282
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
THE EFFECT OF ADAPTIVE OR MALADAPTIVE RESPONSES TO RAPE ON THE VICTIM'S RECOVERY OVER A 4 TO 6-YEAR PERIOD WAS EXAMINED USING A FOLLOWUP STUDY OF 81 RAPE VICTIMS FROM 1 CITY.
Abstract
THE WOMEN HAD ALL ORIGINALLY BEEN SEEN IN--A BOSTON HOSPITAL'S EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IN 1972 AND 1973. OF THE 81 SUBJECTS, 78 WERE REINTERVIEWED USING A STANDARD SCHEDULE OF FLEXIBLE AND OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS. GOOD INDIRECT DATA WERE AVAILABLE FOR THE OTHER THREE WOMEN. A MAJORITY (74 PERCENT) OF THE VICTIMS FELT THAT THEY HAD RECOVERED 4 TO 6 YEARS AFTER THE RAPE, WHILE 26 PERCENT FELT THAT THEY HAD NOT. HALF OF THE 74 FELT TO BE RECOVERED WITHIN MONTHS; THE OTHER HALF, WITHIN YEARS. THOSE WHO RECOVERED FASTEST USED MORE ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES, INCLUDING POSITIVE SELF-ASSESSMENT, INCREASED ACTION, AND DEFENSE MECHANISMS SUCH AS EXPLANATION, MINIMIZATION, SUPPRESSION, AND DRAMATIZATION. THOSE WHO WERE STILL NOT RECOVERED HAD MORE MALADAPTIVE MECHANISMS SUCH AS NEGATIVE SELF-ASSESSMENTS, INACTION, SUBSTANCE ABUSE, AND ACTING ON SUICIDAL THOUGHTS. THREE ADDITIONAL WOMEN FROM THE ORIGINAL SAMPLE HAD DIED FROM MALADAPTIVE RESPONSES: TWO FROM SUICIDE AND ONE FROM MEDICAL CONSEQUENCES OF ALCOHOLISM. IN ADDITION, RECOVERY WAS MOST OBVIOUS IN RESUMPTION OF SOCIAL TASK FUNCTIONS, BUT PARTNERSHIP RELATIONSHIPS AND SEXUAL FUNCTIONING BOTH TENDED TO BE DISRUPTED BY THE RAPE. RESULTS SUGGESTED THAT CLINICIANS SHOULD CONSIDER A LARGE NUMBER OF FACTORS IN IDENTIFYING RAPE VICTIMS AT HIGH RISK FOR A SLOW RECOVERY AND SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HIGH SELF-ESTEEM AND CONSCIOIUS COPING AND ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES IN AIDING RECOVERY. TABLES AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (CFW)