NCJ Number
240530
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 36 Issue: 3 Dated: March 2012 Pages: 247-259
Date Published
March 2012
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study explored the association between a history of child sexual abuse and sexual health outcomes later in life in a sample of young adult women.
Abstract
Major findings from the study include the following: 31 percent of the women in the study reported a history of child sexual abuse (CSA); of the women who reported a history of CSA, those who reported more severe CSA were more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors and report more adverse sexual health outcomes; women who reported CSA that involved only touching were more likely to report having a negative sexual self-concept; and emotion-oriented coping mechanisms were used to mediate outcomes related to negative sexual self-concept. This study explored the association between a history of child sexual abuse (CSA) and sexual health outcomes later in life in a sample of young adult women. Data for the study were obtained from a sample of young adult women, n=889, aged 20-23, who completed a series of self-report and computerized questionnaires on history of sexual abuse, coping mechanisms, optimism levels, and various sexual health outcomes. The study's findings suggest that young adult women with a history of severe child sexual abuse are more likely to experience greater levels of sexual health problems and engage in high-risk sexual behaviors. The findings also suggest that emotion-oriented coping mechanisms and having higher levels of optimism are factors that tend to mediate some sexual health outcomes for women with a history of CSA. Study limitations are discussed. Tables and references