Resilient child sexual abuse survivors: cognitive coping and illusion

This research examined cognitive coping strategies associated with resilience in a nonclinical sample of child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors. In Study 1, 180 college women completed surveys assessing self-enhancing cognitive distortions of reality, known as positive illusions, and CSA history. CSA survivors and nonvictimized women were found to be equally likely to engage in illusion, and for both groups, measures of illusion were strongly associated with psychological well-being. In Study 2, a qualitative study, a subsample of 20 CSA survivors from Study 1 were interviewed regarding their efforts to cope with CSA. Analysis was focused on comparisons between well-adjusted and poorly-adjusted women. The high adjustment group revealed a greater tendency to engage in four types of cognitive strategies: disclosing and discussing CSA, minimization, positive reframing, and refusing to dwell on the experience. The results of both studies highlight the importance of cognitive reappraisal in CSA recovery. Implications for therapists working with CSA survivors are discussed.