Childhood Physical Assault as a Risk Factor for PTSD, Depression, and Substance Abuse: Findings From a National Survey

• NCJ Number: 171528
• Journal: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry Volume: 66 Issue: 3 Dated: (July 1996) Pages: 437-448
• Author(s): R D Duncan; B E Saunders; D G Kilpatrick; R F Hanson; H S Resnick
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): DA05220-01A2
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A national sample of adult women was screened for a history of serious physical assault in childhood, major depressive episode, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance abuse.

Abstract

Approximately 2.6 percent of the women had experienced serious assaults in childhood, with fathers and stepfathers identified as the most frequent offenders. Compared to women reporting no such victimization, these women experienced more lifetime and current episodes of depression, PTSD, and substance abuse. Assaults were most often reported to be a single incident, although 44 percent of victims reported experiencing a series of physical assaults during childhood. Approximately two-thirds of the victims reported receiving physical injuries during the assault, and 88 percent recalled having thought they would die during the assault. Findings indicate that women who were physically assaulted in childhood experience many of the same symptoms as do survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The potential long-term consequences of having experienced severe assault in childhood underscore the importance of prevention, early detection, and treatment of child victims. Note, tables, references