Posttraumatic Stress Disorder as an Early Response to Sexual Assault

• NCJ Number: 130612
• Journal: Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1991) Pages: 160-173
• Author(s): T L Kramer; B L Green
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A sample of 100 women treated for sexual assault at a hospital emergency department was studied to assess their early reactions within the framework of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The women were interviewed within 72 hours of their assault.

Abstract

Follow-up interviews conducted with 30 of the women 6 to 8 weeks later revealed that 73.3 percent met the full criteria for PTSD and another 5 percent reported symptoms in either the avoidant or intrusive domain. Two-thirds of the women met the criteria for the disorder based on an early draft of DSM-III-R. PTSD was positively correlated with a prior history of sexual assault, while use of an informal support network was negatively correlated with PTSD symptoms. 3 tables and 32 references (Author abstract modified)