Citation

Luterek JA, Harb GC, Heimberg RG, Marx BP. J. Interpers. Violence 2004; 19(1): 90-107.

Affiliation

Temple University, USA

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0886260503259052

PMID

14680531

Abstract

This study investigated whether interpersonal rejection sensitivity serves a mediating role between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and three long-term psychological correlates of CSA in adult female survivors: depressive symptoms, anger suppression, and attenuated emotional expression. Interpersonal rejection sensitivity has been shown to be a risk factor for the development of depression and is elevated in CSA survivors. Similarly, attenuated emotional expression, particularly anger, has been related to adjustment difficulties in CSA survivors. Participants in this study were 355 female undergraduates, 34 of whom reported a history of CSA. Results demonstrated that interpersonal rejection sensitivity mediates the relationship between CSA and later depressive symptoms. Interpersonal rejection sensitivity partially mediated the relationship between CSA and anger suppression; however, it did not mediate the relationship between CSA and attenuated emotional expression. These results are examined within the context of the current literature on adult CSA survivors and their implications are discussed.

Language: en