The relationships between childhood sexual abuse, social anxiety, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder in women

The relationships between childhood sexual abuse, social anxiety, & symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder were examined in a sample of 313 undergraduate women. Thirty-one percent of the women reported some form of sexual abuse in childhood. Women with a history of sexual abuse reported more symptoms of anxiety, distress in social situations, & posttraumatic stress disorder than other women. Women who experienced attempted or actual intercourse reported more avoidance than women with no history of abuse & women with exposure only, & more PTSD symptoms than all other groups of women. Women who experienced fondling reported more PTSD symptoms than women with no history of abuse. Pressure, age of onset of abuse, abuse by a family friend, & abuse by other perpetrators were all significant abuse characteristics in predicting adult social anxiety. Implications of these results for research & interventions are discussed. Tables, References. Adapted from the source document.