Sexual victimization and physical health: an examination of explanatory mechanisms

There is a growing body of research illustrating a significant relationship between a history of sexual victimization and the development of physical health problems; however, few researchers have examined variables that mediate this relationship. The present study examined two potential mediating variables: experiential avoidance and current stress. Results indicated that current stress significantly mediated the relationship between adult sexual assault and physical health complaints, and experiential avoidance may be a partial mediator. Implications of the findings and future directions are discussed.