NCJ Number
146194
Journal
Psychology of Women Quarterly Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1993) Pages: 151-168
Date Published
1993
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Using a sample of 857 college women, this study used a prospective design to assess the pathways through which victimization experiences become linked. Here, depression and anxiety were assessed as possible mediators of sexual victimization experiences.
Abstract
The participants completed a questionnaire on family history, any previous sexual victimization, and current psychological functioning. After 9 weeks, the participants returned for a follow-up session, in which any victimization experiences during the intervening weeks were assessed, and levels of depression and anxiety were reevaluated. The results showed that 18 percent of the participants experienced some form of sexual victimization during the 9 weeks of the study. The findings suggested that a history of sexual victimization is a risk factor for subsequent victimization. Women who had a history of adolescent rape or attempted rape were almost twice as likely as other participants to experience a sexual assault during the 9-week period. Women who showed the poorest psychological adjustment at the initial assessment were those with a history of child and adolescent sexual victimization. 1 figure, 4 tables, 2 notes, and 38 references