The Role of stress in the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and psychological symptomatology in university women
Date
1996
Authors
Embree, Jayne Marie
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Abstract
This study of 440 university women examined the influence of a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and of recent stress measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen, Kamarck, & Mermelstein, 1983) and the Life Experiences Survey (Sarason, Johnson, and Siegel, 1978) on psychological symptoms (measured by the Trauma Symptoms Inventory; Briere, 1995). Results indicated that perceived stress (PSS) accounted for the most variance in psychological symptomatology, and that stress was a more potent predictor of symptoms than was childhood sexual abuse. Although women with a history of CSA, in general, did not report greater stress than other women, those who reported long-term sexual abuse experiences (a duration of 6 years or greater) did report experiencing more stress than women with short-term abuse experiences. Results of this study are discussed in relation to theories of stress. Implications for research and treatment of survivors of childhood sexual abuse are also discussed.