Psychosocial Correlates of PTSD and Problem Drinking in Sexual Assault Survivors and Their Informal Supports

The current study examined predictors PTSD and problem drinking using survey data (N = 432 matched pairs) from sexual assault survivors and informal support providers (SPs, e.g. family, friend, partner) to whom they disclosed. Perceptions of helpfulness, relationship satisfaction, social reactions to disclosure of sexual assault, coping strategies, and child sexual abuse (CSA) severity were examined in separate survivor and SP regression models. In the survivor model, White-identified and less educated survivors had more PTSD symptoms than those of other races and with more education, respectively. Greater avoidance coping, perceived SP empathy, and unsupportive acknowledgment (UA) reactions were all related to more PTSD symptoms for survivors. In the SP model, those identifying as White reported more PTSD symptoms than those of other races. SPs reporting greater use of approach and avoidance coping, and more ineffective and empathetic support, reported more PTSD symptoms. Those SPs identifying as men and those with higher educational attainment had fewer PTSD symptoms. SPs reporting more positive social reactions to survivors' disclosure also had fewer PTSD symptoms. For survivors, greater avoidance coping, more PTSD symptoms, and receiving more positive reactions from the SP were each related to increased survivor problem drinking. For SPs, greater relationship satisfaction with the survivor and greater UA social reactions made to survivors were each related to less SP problem drinking. In addition, SPs reporting greater CSA severity, more PTSD symptoms, more avoidance coping, and more perceived empathy and positive social reactions to survivors were each related to increased SP problem drinking.