title: Affective, behavioral, and social-cognitive dysregulation as mechanisms for sexual abuse revictimization.
abstract: Using a sample of 1117 female college students, this study examined emotional, behavioral, and social-cognitive mechanisms of sexual abuse revictimization. It was hypothesized that numbing, alexithymia, alcohol problems, mistrust, and adult attachment dimensions would mediate the relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual abuse (ASA). Aside from the close adult attachment dimension, the results indicated that all of the hypothesized mediators were associated with CSA. However, only alcohol problems and mistrust met the necessary conditions of mediation. The results with respect to mistrust are especially unique in that it is one of the first empirical demonstrations of a social-cognitive mechanism for sexual abuse revictimization. Thus, these results enhance our understanding of interpersonal mediators of the relationship between CSA and ASA and provide a new direction for future research.
authors.affiliation: University of Dayton, Department of Psychology, Dayton, OH 04569-1430, USA. Catherine.Zois@notes.udayton.edu
authors.forename: Catherine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lutz-Zois
authors.forename: Carolyn E Roecker
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Phelps
authors.forename: Adam C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Reichle
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000987:Antisocial Personality Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015146:Midwestern United States; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012649:Self Concept; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult