NCJ Number
213001
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 20 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2005 Pages: 409-419
Date Published
December 2005
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationships between childhood sexual abuse, social anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a sample of college women.
Abstract
The findings suggest that women with histories of childhood sexual abuse experience varying levels of anxiety into adulthood and, as such, therapeutic interventions should incorporate techniques for overcoming social anxiety. Results indicated support for the hypothesis that college women with histories of childhood sexual abuse would exhibit greater PTSD symptoms and higher levels of anxiety and distress in social situations than women with no history of childhood sexual abuse. Women suffering the most severe types of sexual abuse also reported the greater use of avoidance and more PTSD symptoms than women who were not abused or who suffered less severe forms of sexual abuse. Other factors found to be significantly related to adult social anxiety were age of onset of abuse, pressure to participate during the abuse, abuse by a family friend, and abuse by other perpetrators. Participants were 313 undergraduate women who were recruited from psychology and human development courses at Cornell University; 31 percent of the sample reported a history of childhood sexual abuse. A series of questionnaires measured demographic and family background information, childhood sexual abuse, social anxiety, and PTSD symptoms. Tables, references