title: Avoidance symptoms and delayed verbal memory are associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms in female victims of sexual violence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Victimization by sexual violence is strongly associated with the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While several psychological and cognitive factors are known to be associated with PTSD prognosis, multivariable analysis is scarce. This study examined factors affecting the severity of PTSD symptoms in early stage of traumatic experience of sexual violence, including initial post-traumatic symptoms and cognitive characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were recruited from the center for women and children victims of violence in a university hospital. Thirty-four sexual assault victims were assessed at the baseline and the second visit one to five months after the baseline. At the baseline, an array of posttraumatic symptoms and cognitive functions were measured: at follow-up, PTSD symptoms were determined by Clinician Administered PTSD Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stepwise multiple regression showed that avoidance symptoms (β = 0.551, P < 0.01) and delayed verbal memory (β = -0.331, P < 0.05) at early stage of trauma predicted the severity of PTSD symptoms one to five month later. The regression model, factoring in avoidance and delayed verbal memory, showed a 34.9% explanatory power regarding the PTSD symptom severity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that avoidance symptoms and verbal memory at the early stage of trauma are associated with later PTSD symptoms. It is also suggested that early intervention targeting avoidance symptoms may be beneficial in decreasing PTSD symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Sun flower Center of Southern Gyeonggi for Women and Children Victims of Violence, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Center for Traumatic Stress, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung Min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Sun flower Center of Southern Gyeonggi for Women and Children Victims of Violence, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Center for Traumatic Stress, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Ajou Univeristy School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyoung Yoon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Center for Traumatic Stress, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Ajou Univeristy School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Center for Traumatic Stress, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Ajou Univeristy School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Nam Hee
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Sun flower Center of Southern Gyeonggi for Women and Children Victims of Violence, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Center for Traumatic Stress, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung Ah
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Sun flower Center of Southern Gyeonggi for Women and Children Victims of Violence, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Center for Traumatic Stress, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, Republic of Korea; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Ajou Univeristy School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: ykchung@ajou.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Young Ki
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D003071:Cognition; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012742:Sex Offenses / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Avoidance; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Prospective study; Republic of Korea; Sexual abuse; Verbal memory