Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 10, 2026

Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
Published on: March 8, 2018
Psychosocial correlates of PTSD symptom severity in sexual assault survivors
Sarah E Ullman1, Henrietta H Filipas, Stephanie M Townsend
1Criminal Justice Department, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60607-7140, USA. seullman@uic.edu.
Abstract:
This study's goal was to assess the effects of preassault, assault, and postassault psychosocial factors on current posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms of sexual assault survivors. An ethnically diverse sample of over 600 female sexual assault survivors was recruited from college, community, and mental health agency sources (response rate = 90%). Regression analyses tested the hypothesis that postassault psychosocial variables, including survivors' responses to rape and social reactions from support providers, would be stronger correlates of PTSD symptom severity than preassault or assault characteristics. As expected, few demographic or assault characteristics predicted symptoms, whereas trauma histories, perceived life threat during the assault, postassault characterological self-blame, avoidance coping, and negative social reactions from others were all related to greater PTSD symptom severity. The only protective factor was survivors' perception that they had greater control over their recovery process in the present, which predicted fewer symptoms. Recommendations for intervention and treatment with sexual assault survivors are discussed.
Related Concept Videos
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Symptoms and Behavioral Manifestations
A spectrum of distressing symptoms characterizes PTSD. Recurrent flashbacks, where individuals involuntarily relive traumatic events, are a...
Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Genital
Social Anxiety Disorder
Psychosexual Stages of Personality: Phallic
Psychosexual Theory of Development
The Five Stages of Psychosexual Development
Freud's psychosexual...