The Differential Effects of Abuse Characteristics and Attachment in the Prediction of Long-Term Effects of Sexual Abuse
- 1 September 1993
- journal article
- research article
- Published by SAGE Publications in Journal of Interpersonal Violence
- Vol. 8 (3) , 346-362
- https://doi.org/10.1177/088626093008003004
Abstract
It was hypothesized that sexual abuse severity and adult attachment (reflective of the more pervasive experience of growing up in a family) would each have significant but distinct effects on the long-term functioning of incest survivors. A sample of 112 incest survivors completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Symptom Checklist-10, the Impact of Event Scale, the MCMI-II, and the Relationship Questionnaire (a measure of adult attachment). Hierachical regression analyses indicated that sexual abuse characteristics (particularly early age of onset) predicted depression, intrusive thoughts, and, to a lesser degree, avoidance of memories of the abuse (symptoms consistent with a traditional PTSD conceptualization). Adult attachment (in particular, a lack of secure attachment) predicted avoidance of memories of the abuse. In addition, adult attachment predicted avoidant, dependent, self-defeating, and borderline personality disorders. Implications for the focus of therapy with the sexual abuse survivor are discussed.Keywords
This publication has 32 references indexed in Scilit:
- Psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory: Twenty-five years of evaluationPublished by Elsevier ,2002
- Effect of incest on self and social functioning: A developmental psychopathology perspective.Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 1992
- Early and long-term effects of child sexual abuse: An update.Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 1990
- Categories of response to reunion with the parent at age 6: Predictable from infant attachment classifications and stable over a 1-month period.Developmental Psychology, 1988
- Current Psychological Functioning of Child Sexual Assault SurvivorsJournal of Interpersonal Violence, 1988
- Attachment in Late Adolescence: Working Models, Affect Regulation, and Representations of Self and OthersChild Development, 1988
- The experience of sexual traumaJournal of Traumatic Stress, 1988
- Post Sexual Abuse TraumaJournal of Interpersonal Violence, 1987
- The Effects of Sexual Abuse on ChildrenJournal of Interpersonal Violence, 1987
- Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research.Psychological Bulletin, 1986