NCJ Number
161938
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 11 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1996) Pages: 263-280
Date Published
1996
Length
18 pages
Annotation
This study examined the distress symptomatology and family functioning in female undergraduate students who had been sexually victimized in childhood and revictimized in adulthood.
Abstract
This group was compared with a child sexual abuse group, peer sexual abuse group, and a no-sexual-trauma group. Subjects were 833 female introductory psychology students. All subjects were between the ages of 17 and 24 years. From the initial sample, 253 identified themselves as having been sexually abused. The group that involved victimization in childhood by an adult or older person (CSA) included 83 subjects who reported incidents when the subject was 16 years old or younger and the perpetrator was at least 5 years older. The group that reported victimization in childhood by a peer (PSA) included 78 subjects who reported that abuse occurred when the subject was 16 years old or younger and the perpetrator was less than 5 years older than the subject. The group that reported victimization in childhood and revictimization in adulthood (REV) consisted of 44 subjects who reported either CSA or PSA in addition to at least one incident of unwanted sexual contact that occurred when the subject was 17 years old or older. Data were obtained through a demographic information questionnaire, a history of unwanted sexual contact, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised, the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, Trauma Sequelae, and the Family Environment Scale. Findings show that the REV group reported the most severe forms of sexual assault relative to other victimized groups. The victimized groups were all significantly more distressed than the nonabused control group, with the REV group reporting significantly more posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology than other victimization groups. The victimization groups differed significantly from the nonabused group on dimensions of family functioning, but they did not differ significantly from each other. Multiple stepwise regression analysis show that conflict and control were significant predictors of distress in the victimization group. Cohesion was a significant predictor of distress in the nonabused group. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed. 2 figures, 4 tables, and 31 references