NCJ Number
165014
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 20 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1996) Pages: 963-972
Date Published
1996
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Data from 359 married adult women who sought sex therapy with their spouses were studied to determine the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and current sexual dysfunction.
Abstract
The data were analyzed by means of discriminant function techniques. Results revealed that childhood sexual abuse plus a college education significantly differentiated women with and without a diagnosed sexual dysfunction. The abused women with sexual dysfunction differed significantly from abused women without sexual dysfunction in their experience of abuse involving sexual penetration. Between 75 percent and 94 percent of women with a sexual dysfunction could be accurately identified on the basis of prior abuse, but many women without dysfunction were misclassified. Findings confirmed previous theory and research regarding a connection between childhood sexual abuse and adult female dysfunction. Findings suggested that abuse involving sexual penetration is specifically associated with adult sexual dysfunction. Future research should examine additional variables that may contribute to sexual dysfunction; these may include anxiety, depression, and marital relationship characteristics such as marital satisfaction and communication skills. Tables and 29 references (Author abstract modified)