Child sexual and physical abuse among college students in Singapore and the United States.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore differences in rates and characteristics of child sexual and physical abuse experiences among women in Singapore and the US.


METHODS
Participants (N=153) completed an anonymous questionnaire which assessed experiences of childhood sexual and physical abuse, abuse characteristics (e.g., victimization age, severity), and behavioral and subjective reactions to such experiences (e.g., labeling of experiences as abuse, psychological symptomatology). Exposure to other forms of traumatic life events was also assessed.


RESULTS
In comparison to Singaporean women, US women were more likely to report a history of child sexual abuse, and to report experiencing more severe forms of sexual abuse. Women in Singapore were more likely than women in the US to report a history of child physical abuse, to report experiencing injury as a result of the abuse, and to disclose the abuse. Singaporean women with a history of child sexual abuse reported elevated psychological symptom levels relative to their nonabused peers and to US women with a history of child sexual abuse, even after controlling for exposure to other types of traumatic events. No significant differences in symptomatology with regard to child physical abuse were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Although preliminary in nature, the present findings are among the first to demonstrate differences in psychological adjustment between sexually abused and nonabused Asian women living in Asia. This study also provides some of the first support for cross-national differences in the psychological adjustment of child sexual abuse survivors.
Back
Sudie E
SE
Department of Psychology, The University of Georgia, Psychology Building, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
Jackson
Joan L
JL
Fitzgerald
Monica
M
Shaffer
Anne
A
Salstrom
Seoka
S
Osman
Mohamad Maliki
MM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities; D016387:Women's Health