NCJ Number
175849
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1999 Pages: 62-78
Date Published
1999
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article reports on the roles of child sexual assault, attributions and coping in adjustment to rape.
Abstract
One hundred nineteen undergraduate females completed anonymous questionnaires that assessed for child sexual abuse history, adult victimization history, attributions of blame for the adult assault, coping strategies for the adult rape and trauma symptoms. Rape victims with a history of child sexual abuse had higher levels of trauma symptoms, made greater use of nervous and cognitive coping strategies and were more likely to make attributions of blame towards themselves or society. Current symptoms were related to types of coping and attributions of blame, with history of child sexual abuse having an indirect relationship to those variables. The article suggests a need for further research on coping and attributions, especially on the degree to which victims blame themselves and the variables that influence those attributions. Tables, figure, notes, references