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The unique associations between rape acknowledgment and the DSM-5 PTSD symptom clusters
Laura C Wilson1, Angela Scarpa2
1Department of Psychological Science, University of Mary Washington, 1301 College Ave, Fredericksburg, VA, USA.
Psychiatry Research
|August 9, 2017
Summary
Rape acknowledgment impacts recovery. Acknowledged rape survivors reported more intrusion and avoidance symptoms, suggesting cluster-level PTSD analysis can inform treatment for sexual assault survivors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Mental Health
Background:
- Over half of rape survivors do not identify their experience as rape, termed unacknowledged rape.
- This phenomenon has significant implications for psychotherapy, yet its effect on psychological adjustment remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the unique impact of rape acknowledgment status on psychopathology.
- To examine post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms at the cluster level in relation to rape acknowledgment.
Main Methods:
- 178 female college students who reported rape completed an online survey.
- Assessed PTSD symptoms experienced in the past month.
- Analyzed data accounting for relevant covariates.
Main Results:
- Acknowledged rape survivors reported significantly higher levels of intrusion symptoms compared to unacknowledged survivors.
- Acknowledged rape survivors reported significantly higher levels of avoidance symptoms compared to unacknowledged survivors.
Conclusions:
- Rape acknowledgment status uniquely impacts PTSD symptom clusters.
- Analyzing PTSD symptoms at the cluster level offers deeper insight into recovery processes following rape.
- Findings can better inform treatment decisions for sexual assault survivors.
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