Psychological consequences associated with positive and negative responses to disclosure of sexual assault among college women: a prospective study.
A prospective design was utilized to explore the impact of social reactions to sexual assault disclosure among college women who experienced sexual victimization over a 4-month academic quarter. Women completed baseline, 4- and 7-month assessments of symptomatology, beliefs about why sexual assault occurs, victimization, and social reactions to sexual assault disclosure. Accounting for symptomatology or beliefs reported prior to the assault, positive social reactions were not associated with victims' subsequent symptomatology or beliefs. However, accounting for symptomatology or beliefs reported prior to the assault, higher negative social reactions were associated with victims' post-assault reports of hostility, fear, and beliefs about why sexual assault occurs.
Ohio University, Providence, RI, USA Alpert Medical School, Brown University lindsay_orchowski@brown.edu.
Lindsay M
LM
Orchowski
Ohio University, Providence, RI, USA.
Christine A
CA
Gidycz
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001290:Attitude; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D003469:Culture; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006791:Hostility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011902:Rape / Q000523:psychology*; D012938:Social Perception; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014342:Truth Disclosure; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
disclosure; sexual assault; social reactions