title: Impact of traumatic events on posttraumatic stress disorder among Danish survivors of sexual abuse in childhood.
abstract: Childhood sexual abuse can be extremely traumatic and lead to lifelong symptomatology. The present study examined the impact of several demographic, abuse, and psychosocial variables on posttraumatic stress disorder severity among a consecutive sample of treatment-seeking, adult child sexual abuse survivors (N = 480). The child sexual abuse sample was characterized by severe trauma exposure, insecure attachment, and significant traumatization, with an estimated 77% suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder, more than twice the level of the comparison group. Regression analyses revealed risk factors associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder in which the strongest predictors being additional traumas, negative affectivity, and somatization. The findings add to existing research confirming the stressful nature of child sexual abuse and the variables that contribute to the development and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder.
authors.affiliation: a University of Southern Denmark , Odense , Denmark.
authors.forename: Ask
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Elklit
authors.forename: Dorte M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palic
authors.forename: Sidsel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karsberg
authors.forename: Sara Bek
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Eriksen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: child sexual abuse; general distress; posttraumatic stress disorder; risk factors