NCJ Number
237247
Journal
Violence Against Women Volume: 17 Issue: 8 Dated: August 2011 Pages: 1103-1118
Date Published
August 2011
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study examined associations between child sexual abuse (CSA), adult sexual victimization, and emotion regulation.
Abstract
The present study examined associations between child sexual abuse (CSA), adult sexual victimization, and emotion regulation difficulties in a sample of 168 incarcerated women. Approximately 50 percent of the participants reported CSA, 54 percent reported adult sexual victimization, and 38 percent reported sexual revictimization (i.e., CSA and adult victimization). Revictimized women reported significantly greater difficulties with several facets of emotion regulation when compared to singly victimized and nonvictimized women. Interestingly, singly victimized women did not demonstrate greater emotion regulation deficits when compared to nonvictims. Findings suggest that the negative impact of victimization experiences on adult emotion regulation abilities may be cumulative. Furthermore, they highlight the potential importance of assessing and targeting emotion regulation difficulties among child abuse and adult sexual victimization survivors. (Published Abstract)