title: Correlates of perceived helpfulness of mental health professionals following disclosure of sexual assault.
abstract: A diverse sample of more than 365 adult sexual assault survivors, recruited from college and community sources, was surveyed about sexual assault experiences, post-assault factors, and perceived helpfulness of and satisfaction with mental health professionals. Regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with perceived helpfulness of and satisfaction with mental health professionals. Older age, higher posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), greater control over recovery, and more emotional support reactions were associated with positive perceptions of mental health professionals. Stranger offenders, greater resistance during assault, high victim post-assault upset, and blaming social reactions from others were associated with negative perceptions of mental health professionals.
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA.
authors.forename: Laura L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Starzynski
authors.forename: Sarah E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Ullman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008605:Mental Health Services; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: mental health professional; perceived helpfulness; sexual assault survivor