Citation

Anderson RE, Cahill SP, Silver KE, Delahanty DL. Violence Against Women 2019; ePub(ePub): 1077801219828542.

Affiliation

Kent State University, OH, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1077801219828542

PMID

30802175

Abstract

The current study examined how psychological factors influence hypothetical behavioral responses to threat (BRTT). College women ( n = 113) with a history of sexual victimization completed a standardized lab-based self-defense scenario. Interpersonal skills, coping style, and assertive and nonassertive BRTT during a prior assault predicted assertive BRTT during the task. The use of nonassertive BRTT during past assaults no longer predicted assertive BRTT during the task when accounting for rape acknowledgment.

FINDINGS regarding rape acknowledgment demonstrate the complexity of recovery from sexual assault. Our results highlight interpersonal skills as an intervention target for innovative sexual assault risk reduction interventions.

Language: en

Keywords

assessment; childhood sexual abuse; rape; revictimization; self-defense