Psychological defense styles in women who report childhood sexual abuse: a controlled community study.
OBJECTIVE
The psychological defense styles of women who reported childhood sexual abuse were assessed and compared to those of women without childhood sexual abuse.


METHODS
Subjects in a random community sample (N = 354) of New Zealand women were interviewed and completed two relevant questionnaires, the Defense Style Questionnaire and the Dissociative Experiences Scale.


RESULTS
Women reporting childhood sexual abuse showed more immature defense styles, and those who experienced the most severe childhood sexual abuse showed the most immature styles. Dissociation, however, as measured on the Dissociative Experiences Scale, was not linked to childhood sexual abuse.


CONCLUSIONS
Reporting childhood sexual abuse was associated with more immature coping styles, although not dissociation, in this community sample of women. Coping styles are likely to be a major mechanism through which childhood sexual abuse increases rates of later psychological problems.
Department of Psychological Medicine, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand. sarah.romans@stonebow.otago.ac.nz
S E
SE
Romans
J L
JL
Martin
E
E
Morris
G P
GP
Herbison
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D003674:Defense Mechanisms; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand / Q000453:epidemiology; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011385:Projection; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires