Coping, Emotion Regulation, and Self-Blame as Mediators of Sexual Abuse and Psychological Symptoms in Adult Sexual Assault

• NCJ Number: 247584
• Journal: Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 23 Issue: 1 Dated: 2014 Pages: 74-93
• Author(s): Sarah E. Ullman; Liana C. Peter-Hagene; Mark Relyea
• Date Published: 2014
• Length: 0 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined whether coping, emotion regulation, and self-blame mediate relationships of trauma histories with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in adult sexual assault victims (N = 1863).

Abstract

This study examined whether coping, emotion regulation, and self-blame mediate relationships of trauma histories with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in adult sexual assault victims (N = 1863). A path analysis showed that theorized mediators partially mediated associations between trauma history variables and psychological symptoms. Specifically, child sexual abuse severity was related to greater post-traumatic stress disorder and depression indirectly through maladaptive coping and decreased emotion regulation but not self-blame. Other traumas had direct relationships with symptoms and partially mediated effects through maladaptive coping and emotion regulation. Child sexual abuse was unrelated to self-blame, but other traumas were related to greater self-blame. Results differed according to whether women had counseling post-assault. Implications are drawn for future research and clinical treatment of adult sexual assault victims.