U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Child Sexual Abuse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Substance Use: Predictors of Revictimization in Adult Sexual Assault Survivors

NCJ Number
228460
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 18 Issue: 4 Dated: July-August 2009 Pages: 367-385
Author(s)
Sarah E. Ullman; Cynthia J. Najdowski; Henrietta H. Filipas
Date Published
August 2009
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined possible mechanisms through which childhood sexual abuse (CSA) might contribute to increased risk of sexual revictimization in a community sample of female adult sexual assault (ASA) victims.
Abstract
Results indicate that child sexual abuse (CSA) predicted more posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in adult sexual assault victims. PTSD numbing symptoms directly predicted revictimization, whereas other PTSD symptoms (re-experiencing, avoidance, and arousal) were related to problem drinking, which in turn predicted revictimization. The numbing symptoms and problem drinking might be independent risk factors for sexual revictimization in adult sexual assault victims, particularly for women with a history of CSA. Increased risk of sexual revictimization in women previously sexually assaulted in childhood, adolescence, or adulthood is a phenomenon well documented in the research literature. This study examined childhood sexual abuse, PTSD, and substance use as possible predictors of sexual revictimization in female adult sexual assault survivors over the course of 1 year. The study analyzed mail survey data from a longitudinal study of sexual assault survivors consisting of two waves of data collection occurring a year apart. The study sample consisted of 555 participants. Tables, figure, notes, and references

Downloads

No download available

Availability