Acute Stress Symptoms After Forcible and Substance-Involved Rapes

In the early aftermath of a sexual assault, survivors often experience symptoms of distress including reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms. However, less is known about associations between rape characteristics and the nature of early reactions. We designed the current study to examine the unique and combined associations between force and substances during rape on acute stress symptoms. Participants were 56 women (ages 18 to 58) who completed a sexual assault medical forensic exam in the emergency department within 120 hours of the rape and then completed a follow-up clinical phone screening within 30 days of the forensic exam. Follow-up assessments included characteristics of the recent rape (force, substances), history of prior sexual assault, demographics, and symptoms of acute stress. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that, after controlling for prior sexual assault, sexual orientation, and race/ethnicity, there were no significant differences on any symptom cluster by rape type. However, this study involved a small, difficult-to-reach sample and, therefore, was only powered to detect large effect sizes. We encourage more research examining potentially unique, early symptom presentations for substance-involved rapes

Demographics · Distress · Ethnic group · Injury prevention · Medical emergency · Poison control · Psychiatry · Sexual assault · Sexual orientation · Suicide prevention · Child Abuse and Trauma · Clinical Psychology · Demography · Gender, Security, and Conflict · Medicine · Psychology · Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies · Social Psychology

• Sexual Assault Impacts on Sexuality and Queer Identity

  Open Access•Erin O’callaghan, Veronica Shepp et al.•Critical Criminology•2023

  Incluir item

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

  American Psychiatric Association American Psychiatric Association, Ewer Ewer•Diagnostic And Statistical Manual…•2013

  Incluir item

• Sexual assault victimization and psychopathology

  Open Access•Emily R Dworkin, Suvarna V Menon et al.•Clinical Psychology Review•2017

  Incluir item

• Drug-facilitated, Incapacitated, and Forcible Rape: A National Study

  Dean G Kilpatrick, Heidi S Resnick et al.•PsycEXTRA Dataset•2007

  Incluir item

• The physical health consequences of PTSD and PTSD symptoms

  Open Access•Maria L Pacella, Maria L Pacella‐labarbara et al.•Journal of Anxiety Disorders•2013

  Incluir item

• A prospective examination of post‐traumatic stress disorder in rape victims

  Open Access•Barbara O Rothbaum, Edna B Foa et al.•Journal of Traumatic Stress•1992

  Incluir item

• Behavioral/cognitive conceptualizations of post-traumatic stress disorder

  Open Access•Edna B Foa, Gail Steketee et al.•Behavior Therapy•1989

  Incluir item

• The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for DSM‐5 (PCL‐5)

  Open Access•Christy A Blevins, Frank W Weathers et al.•Journal of Traumatic Stress•2015

  Incluir item

• Talking about sexual assault

  Sarah E Ullman•Talking about sexual assault•2010

  Incluir item

• Sexual assault and alcohol consumption

  Open Access•Antonia Abbey, Tina Zawacki et al.•Aggression and Violent Behavior•2003

  Incluir item

• The Prevalence of Sexual Assault Against People Who Identify as Gay, Lesbian, or Bisexual in the United States

  Open Access•Emily F Rothman, Deinera Exner et al.•Trauma Violence & Abuse•2011

  Incluir item

• Sexual Revictimization

  Open Access•Catherine C Classen, Catherine Classen et al.•Trauma Violence & Abuse•2005

  Incluir item

• Acute stress disorder

  Allison G Harvey, Rebecca A Bryant•Psychological Bulletin•2002

  Incluir item

• Sexual assault-characteristics effects on PTSD and psychosocial mediators

  Liana C Peter‐Hagene, Liana C Peter-Hagene et al.•Psychological Trauma Theory…•2014

  Incluir item

• Role of alcohol in college sexual victimization and postassault adaptation

  Open Access•Jessica A Blayney, Jennifer P Read et al.•Psychological Trauma Theory…•2016

  Incluir item

• Psychological Consequences of Sexual Victimization Resulting From Force, Incapacitation, or Verbal Coercion

  Open Access•Amy L Brown, Maria Testa et al.•Violence Against Women•2009

  Incluir item

• Sexual Orientation, Race, and Trauma as Predictors of Sexual Assault Recovery

  Open Access•Rannveig Sigurvinsdottir, Sarah E Ullman•Journal of Family Violence•2015

  Incluir item