Victim attributions and post-rape trauma.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Criminology
• Sociology

Background:

• Rape victim attributions are crucial for understanding adjustment.
• Distinctions between behavioral and characterological self-blame require empirical validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• Assess rape victim attributions.
• Examine associations between self-blame types and other variables.
• Determine if behavioral self-blame improves post-rape adjustment.

Main Methods:

• Surveyed adult female rape victims at a hospital-based rape crisis program.
• Assessed attributions (self-blame, external factors) and post-rape adjustment.
• Analyzed relationships between attributional variables and depression.

Main Results:

• Victims attributed blame to themselves and external factors.
• Hypothesized distinctions between behavioral and characterological self-blame were not supported.
• Both self-blame types significantly correlated with increased post-rape depression.

Conclusions:

• Attributions significantly predict rape victim adjustment, explaining substantial variance in depression.
• Self-blame, regardless of type, is linked to poorer psychological outcomes.
• Findings have implications for rape victim support and theoretical models of trauma.