NCJ Number
100322
Journal
American Journal of Community Psychology Volume: 13 Issue: 6 Dated: (December 1985) Pages: 645-676
Date Published
1985
Length
32 pages
Annotation
This study investigated 25 victims' reactions to sexual assault and the role of social support in their subsequent adjustment.
Abstract
Victims were interviewed 3 months after the assault to gather information about the assault, the type of support they received, and the effects of the assault as measured< by two scales of psychological stress: Impact of Events Scale and SCL-90-R. Our major findings were that (a) victim's scale scores were significantly elevated, reflecting the considerable distress they were still experiencing; (b) there were significant differences in the availability of support from specific categories of people (e.g., police received significantly high ratings, whereas physicians' ratings were significantly low); (c) the amount of perceived support varied with the stressfulness of the assault; (d) however, contrary to initial hypotheses, the amount of overall support did not predict subsequent adjustment; (e) support from physicians did correlate significantly with both scales of psychological adjustment. (Author abstract)