title: The process of coping with domestic violence in adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
abstract: Research suggests that the use of disengaged or avoidant strategies to cope with interpersonal violence contributes to the development of depressive symptoms and other psychological difficulties. Survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) who are exposed to subsequent episodes of abuse may be more likely to rely on disengaged coping strategies, placing them at elevated risk of psychological symptomatology. In this study, we explored the interrelationships between coping, depression, and self-esteem in an ethnically diverse sample of domestic violence survivors (N = 219) with and without a history of CSA. As predicted, CSA survivors (n = 86) reported significantly greater use of disengaged coping strategies (wishful thinking, self-criticism, and social withdrawal) than non-CSA survivors (n = 133). As hypothesized, both a CSA history and the use of disengaged coping significantly predicted higher levels of depression and lower self- esteem. Clinical implications of the findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Urban Resource Institute, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA. SGriffing@nyc.rr.com
authors.forename: Sascha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Griffing
authors.forename: Carla S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jospitre
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sage
authors.forename: Beny J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Primm
authors.forename: Lorraine
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Madry
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D018585:Battered Women / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019260:Expressed Emotion; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D016387:Women's Health