Disclosure of sexual abuse and psychological adjustment in female undergraduates

The relationship between reported unwanted sexual experiences (USE) and psychological disturbance is now widely recognized. However, the factors that mediate between USE and psychopathology are not adequately understood. One factor that has been suggested to be important is the way in which any attempt at disclosure is received. This study investigates how different perceived responses to attempted disclosure of abuse are related to psychological function in a nonclinical sample. A perceived adverse response to disclosure was associated with greater levels of psychopathology, particularly oral control, dissociation, and self-denigration. Suggestions are made for further research, and the clinical implications of the findings are discussed.