title: Childhood Sexual Abuse and Later Alcohol-Related Problems: Investigating the Roles of Revictimization, PTSD, and Drinking Motivations Among College Women.
abstract: The current study sought to examine whether symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adolescent sexual assault (ASA), and drinking motivations (e.g., drinking to regulate emotional experiences) mediate the relationship between a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and subsequent alcohol-related problems among college women. Participants were 579 female students at a Midwestern university. Participants were recruited as part of a larger longitudinal study that investigated risk and resiliency factors related to sexual revictimization. Using a serial mediation model, the current study found that the proposed constructs mediated the relationship between CSA and subsequent alcohol-related problems via two separate paths. In one path, CSA was associated with PTSD, which in turn predicted drinking to regulate emotional experiences, which then was related to alcohol-related problems in adulthood. In the second path, CSA was related to ASA, which in turn predicted drinking to regulate emotional experiences, which then was related to alcohol-related problems in adulthood. These results suggest that individuals with a history of CSA are more likely to experience both revictimization in adolescence and PTSD symptoms in adulthood, which may lead to alcohol-related problems via drinking to regulate emotional experiences. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating skills training in adaptive emotion regulation strategies into treatment for individuals with a history of CSA and ASA.
authors.affiliation: 1 Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, USA.
authors.forename: Susan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hannan
authors.affiliation: 1 Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, USA.
authors.forename: Holly K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Orcutt
authors.affiliation: 1 Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, USA.
authors.forename: Lynsey R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Miron
authors.affiliation: 1 Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, USA.
authors.forename: Kristen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology*; D019973:Alcohol-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D009042:Motivation; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: adolescent sexual assault; alcohol; childhood sexual abuse; drinking motivations; posttraumatic stress disorder