Revictimization and self-harm in females who experienced childhood sexual abuse: results from a prospective study.
Lifetime trauma histories were ascertained for females with confirmed histories of childhood sexual abuse and comparison females participating in a longitudinal, prospective study. Abused participants reported twice as many subsequent rapes or sexual assaults (p = .07), 1.6 times as many physical affronts including domestic violence (p = .01), almost four times as many incidences of self-inflicted harm (p = .002), and more than 20% more subsequent, significant lifetime traumas (p = .04) than did comparison participants. Sexual revictimization was positively correlated with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSD), peritraumatic dissociation, and sexual preoccupation. Physical revictimization was positively correlated with PTSD symptoms, pathological dissociation, and sexually permissive attitudes. Self-harm was positively correlated with both peritraumatic and pathological dissociation. Competing theoretical explanations for revictimization and self-harm are discussed and evaluated.
Noll
Jennie G
JG
University of Southern California, USA.
Horowitz
Lisa A
LA
Bonanno
George A
GA
Trickett
Penelope K
PK
Putnam
Frank W
FW
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D004219:District of Columbia; D017579:Domestic Violence / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors