Coping strategies and posttraumatic stress disorder in female victims of sexual and nonsexual assault.

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Abstract
The coping behaviors and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms of 215 female assault victims ( 103 rape victims and 112 nonsexual assault victims) were assessed within 2 weeks following the assault (Time 1 ), and 133 of them (62%) were followed up 3 months later (Time 2). Posttrauma symptom severity significantly decreased during the 3-month study period, but PTSD severity levels at Times 1 and 2 were highly correlated. Three coping scales were constructed on the basis of ex- ploratory factor analyses: Mobilizing Support, Positive Distancing, and Wishful Thinking. Three months postassault, rape victims showed higher levels of wishful thinking and PTSD than nonsexual assault victims. Wishful thinking showed a positive association and positive distancing a negative association with PTSD severity, controlling for assault type, initial levels of PTSD severity, and other coping strategies. The clinical relevance of these findings is discussed.

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