Rape Myth Acceptance Buffers the Association Between Sexual Assault and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among College Students

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110501
Author(s):  
Zerbrina Valdespino-Hayden ◽  
Kate Walsh ◽  
Sarah R. Lowe
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
College Students ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Rape Myths ◽  
Health Impact ◽  
Rape Myth ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Buffering Effect

Rape myths are cultural beliefs that invalidate, blame, and stigmatize rape survivors, thereby perpetuating sexual violence. Few studies have explored associations between rape myth acceptance (RMA) and mental health outcomes, but evidence suggests that RMA can buffer the mental health impact of some forms of sexual assault. The current study examined the buffering effect of RMA on depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms using self-report data from an online survey of 500 female college students. Findings provided support for the buffering effect of RMA on the association between any sexual assault and PTSD symptoms. Experiencing any sexual assault was significantly associated with greater PTSD symptoms among participants with low RMA, whereas this association was only marginally significant among those with high RMA. Findings demonstrate that there are some contexts in which high RMA might lessen the mental health impact of sexual assault. Thus, it is possible that as progress is made to dismantle rape myths in society, mental health symptoms amongst some survivors may exacerbate, thereby increasing the demand for mental health services.

Factors Associated With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomology Among Women Who Have Experienced Sexual Assault in Canada

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051986008
Author(s):  
Janice Du Mont ◽  
Holly Johnson ◽  
Cassandra Hill
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Dating Violence ◽  
Sexual Victimization ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
General Social Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Sexually Assaulted

There is a dearth of information about the association of victim-related and assailant-related characteristics and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among sexually assaulted women. Recently, Statistics Canada included items measuring the possible presence of PTSD symptoms in their 2014 nationally representative General Social Survey on Victimization (GSS-V), for the purpose of improving the understanding of mental health impacts associated with sexual victimization. The present study used the GSS-V to examine the association of sociodemographic, health, and assailant characteristics and prior traumatic experiences in the form of physical or sexual dating violence, physical assault, stalking, childhood abuse, and witnessing of violence between parents with PTSD symptomology among sexually assaulted women. Among 319 women who reported experiencing at least one incident of sexual assault in the 12 months prior to the survey, 68.6% had experienced at least one negative emotional impact as a result, among whom, 43.6% reported past-month PTSD symptoms. Logistic regression modeling revealed that prior traumatic events in the form of physical or sexual dating violence, stalking, and having witnessed violence between parents were associated with higher odds of experiencing PTSD symptoms, as was having been sexually assaulted by a known assailant. In contrast, the odds of experiencing PTSD symptoms was lower for Aboriginal or visible minority women. The results suggest that PTSD symptoms in the near aftermath of sexual victimization are common, and there are a range of factors that contribute to the likelihood of developing these symptoms. Implications for future research are discussed.

Women’s Health: Treating Survivors of Sexual Assault

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Schindler ◽  
Allison Cowan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
The United States ◽  
Treatment Recommendations ◽  
Rape Recovery ◽  
History Of ◽  
Rape Survivor

Almost half of all women and almost a quarter of all men in the United States have experienced sexual violence in their lifetime. Treating individuals who have survived sexual assault can pose challenges for psychiatric and medical treatment. The rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are higher with sexual assault, and people with sexual trauma often feel stigmatized and have difficulty presenting for care. This chapter reviews epidemiology and neurobiology of sexual assault as well as the physical and psychological sequelae of sexual assault. Here, the authors review and propose practical treatment recommendations to assist in the treatment of individuals with a history of sexual assault. This review 5 figures, 5 tables, and 53 references. Key Words: posttraumatic stress disorder, rape recovery, sexual assault, treatment recommendations, women’s mental health, rape survivor treatment, rape

scholarly journals Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

2012 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 558-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Walsh ◽  
David DiLillo ◽  
Alicia Klanecky ◽  
Dennis McChargue
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Physical Restraint ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms ◽  
Adolescent Sexual Abuse ◽  
Potential Risk Factors ◽  
Prevalent Form

Sexual assault occurring when the victim is unable to consent or resist due to the use or administration of alcohol or drugs (i.e., incapacitated/drug-or-alcohol facilitated rape; IR/DAFR) is a particularly prevalent form of victimization experienced by college women. By definition, substance use precedes IR/DAFR; however, few studies have examined other potential risk factors for IR/DAFR that may be unique from those associated with forcible rape (FR; i.e., sexual assault occurring due to threats or physical restraint). The present investigation tested a model of risk for IR/DAFR and FR suggesting that child or adolescent sexual abuse (CASA) leads to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, which in turn increase the likelihood of IR/DAFR, but not FR. Results revealed full mediation for PTSD hyperarousal symptoms in the pathway between CASA and IR/DAFR, and partial mediation for hyperarousal symptoms in the pathway between CASA and FR. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

Women’s Appraisals of Intimate Partner Violence Stressfulness and Their Relationship to Depressive and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms

2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 707-722 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Martinez-Torteya ◽  
G. Anne Bogat ◽  
Alexander von Eye ◽  
Alytia A. Levendosky ◽  
William S. Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
The Impact

Intimate partner violence (IPV) increases risk for depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Most studies use a dose–response approach to examine the impact of IPV on mental health, but they often fail to explain mental health outcome specificity as well as to assess the impact of women’s subjective appraisals. The present research examined women’s IPV stressfulness appraisals and their psychological functioning (depressive and PTSD symptoms). Results indicate that IPV stressfulness appraisals are associated with depressive symptoms over and above frequency and severity of IPV. PTSD symptoms were associated with frequent and stressful IPV. Women who experienced highly frequent and highly stressful IPV were most likely to display comorbid depressive and PTSD symptoms. Results underscore the importance of women’s subjective experiences and the heterogeneity of women’s responses to IPV.

Post-Sexual Assault Mental Health: A Randomized Clinical Trial of a Video-Based Intervention

2019 ◽  
pp. 088626051988467 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda K. Gilmore ◽  
Kate Walsh ◽  
Patricia Frazier ◽  
Liza Meredith ◽  
Linda Ledray ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Sexual Assault ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Ptsd Symptom ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Video Intervention ◽  
Symptom Frequency

The current study assessed the efficacy of a brief video intervention (Prevention of Post-Rape Stress [PPRS]) delivered in the emergency department to recent sexual assault (SA) victims. PPRS was compared to treatment as usual (TAU) and an active control condition (Pleasant Imagery and Relaxation Instruction [PIRI]). Primary outcomes were posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and perceived present control. Prior SA was examined as a moderator of treatment effects. Women ( n = 233; aged 15 years and older; 59.70% identified as a racial or ethnic minority) who received a post-SA medical forensic exam participated in the study (NCT01430624). Participants were randomized to watch the PPRS video ( n = 77), the PIRI video ( n = 77), or receive TAU ( n = 79). Participants completed measures of PTSD symptoms and perceived present control 1.5-, 3-, and 6-months post-SA. An interaction between condition and prior SA was found on PTSD symptom frequency and on perceived present control. Among women with a prior SA, women in the PPRS versus TAU condition reported less frequent PTSD symptoms 6-months post-SA. Those in the PPRS condition had lower perceived present control than those in the TAU condition among those with no prior SA 3-months post-SA. However, at 6-months post-SA, among women with a prior SA, women in the PPRS reported higher perceived present control than those in TAU. These findings partially replicate a prior study in which PPRS was found to be beneficial in mitigating the development of PTSD symptoms, but only for women with a prior SA.

The Impact of COVID-19 Disruptions and Perceived Discrimination on Well-Being and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms: Testing the Moderating Role of Exercise Among African American and Asian American Emerging Adults

2021 ◽  
pp. 216769682110387
Author(s):  
Chelsea Derlan Williams ◽  
Kristina B. Hood ◽  
Oswaldo Moreno ◽  
Karen G. Chartier ◽  
Kaprea F. Johnson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
African American ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Emerging Adults ◽  
Asian American ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms

The current study tested whether COVID-19 disruptions and perceived discrimination were related to mental health (i.e., posttraumatic stress disorder [PTSD] symptoms and emotional, psychological, and social well-being), and whether exercise moderated relations. Additionally, we tested whether findings varied by ethnicity/race. Participants were 368 African American and Asian American emerging adults ( Mage = 19.92, SD = .34). Findings did not vary by ethnicity/race. COVID-19 disruptions predicted poorer emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and more PTSD symptoms. Discrimination predicted more PTSD symptoms. Exercise was associated with better emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and moderated the relation between COVID-19 disruptions and emotional well-being. At low levels of exercise, COVID-19 disruptions predicted poorer emotional well-being, but this relation was not significant at high levels of exercise. Findings highlight that discrimination and disruptions during the pandemic negatively affect African American and Asian American emerging adults’ mental health, but that exercise plays an important protective role.

scholarly journals Message Delivery for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Longitudinal Observational Study of Symptom Trajectories

10.2196/15587 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. e15587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matteo Malgaroli ◽  
Thomas Derrick Hull ◽  
Shannon Wiltsey Stirman ◽  
Patricia Resick
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Mental Health Care ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Message Delivery ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms ◽  
Ptsd Treatment ◽  
Patient Groups

Background Individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face symptoms that can hinder access to treatment, such as avoidance and guilt. Telemedicine offers a technological solution to increase access to mental health care and overcome barriers to treatment. Although an increasing body of literature focused on synchronous telehealth (eg, live video), no studies have examined the delivery of PTSD treatment via two-way multimedia messages (ie, texting or messaging). Objective The aim of this study was to conduct a longitudinal observation of treatment for PTSD delivered using two-way asynchronous messaging. We also sought to identify individual and treatment characteristics that could predict the observed outcome differences. Methods Outpatients diagnosed with PTSD (N=475) received interventions from licensed therapists, which were delivered via messaging once or more than once per day, 5 days a week for 12 weeks. PTSD symptoms were assessed every 3 weeks using the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5. Trajectories of PTSD symptoms were identified using growth mixture modeling (GMM). Using logistic regression, the demographic, treatment, and messaging characteristics of patient groups that improved were compared with the characteristics of patient groups that did not improve. Results The GMM identified 4 trajectories of PTSD symptoms: moderate improvement (197/475, 41.4%), high symptoms (197/475, 41.4%), chronic symptoms (61/475, 12.9%), and acute improvement (20/475, 4.3%). Patients with a clinically significant reduction in PTSD symptoms (231/475, 48.6%) were more likely to communicate via video (odds ratio [OR] 1.01, 95% CI 1.01-1.05; P=.03), have a higher working alliance with their therapist (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05; P=.02), and be at their first treatment experience (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.18-3.54; P=.01). Treatment adherence was associated with greater therapeutic alliance (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.03-1.10; P<.001), education (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.13-4.03; P=.02), and more patient-generated messages per week (OR 1.08, 95% CI 1.04-1.13; P<.001). Conclusions Multimedia message delivery for PTSD treatment showed symptom-reduction rates similar to traditional forms of treatment delivery, suggesting further study of messaging as a treatment medium. Most patients completed an 8-week course, reflecting the acceptability of messaging interventions. Delivering treatment via two-way messaging offers increased opportunities for widespread access to mental health care.

Learning and Consolidation of Verbal Declarative Memory in Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

2010 ◽  
Vol 218 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Slawomira J. Diener ◽  
Herta Flor ◽  
Michèle Wessa
Keyword(s):  
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ◽  
Posttraumatic Stress ◽  
Verbal Memory ◽  
Stress Disorder ◽  
Declarative Memory ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Verbal Learning ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Ptsd Symptoms

Impairments in declarative memory have been reported in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Fragmentation of explicit trauma-related memory has been assumed to impede the formation of a coherent memorization of the traumatic event and the integration into autobiographic memory. Together with a strong non-declarative memory that connects trauma reminders with a fear response the impairment in declarative memory is thought to be involved in the maintenance of PTSD symptoms. Fourteen PTSD patients, 14 traumatized subjects without PTSD, and 13 non-traumatized healthy controls (HC) were tested with the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) to assess verbal declarative memory. PTSD symptoms were assessed with the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and depression with the Center of Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Several indices of the CVLT pointed to an impairment in declarative memory performance in PTSD, but not in traumatized persons without PTSD or HC. No group differences were observed if recall of memory after a time delay was set in relation to initial learning performance. In the PTSD group verbal memory performance correlated significantly with hyperarousal symptoms, after concentration difficulties were accounted for. The present study confirmed previous reports of declarative verbal memory deficits in PTSD. Extending previous results, we propose that learning rather than memory consolidation is impaired in PTSD patients. Furthermore, arousal symptoms may interfere with successful memory formation in PTSD.

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