These findings, which are generally consistent with prior reports of reduced hippocampal volume in combat veterans with PTSD, suggest that diminished hippocampal size may be either a consequence of trauma exposure or a risk factor for the development of psychiatric complications following trauma exposure. The observed relationship between symptom severity and hippocampal volume suggests that mesial temporal lobe dysfunction may directly mediate certain aspects of PTSD and dissociative disorder symptomatology.

A normative sample of 880 children was contrasted with a sample of 276 sexually abused children on the Child Sexual Behavior Inventory (CSBI), a 35-item behavior checklist assessing sexual behavior in children 2-12 years old. The CSBI total score differed significantly between the 2 groups after controlling for age, sex, maternal education, and family income, with sexually abused children showing a greater frequency of sexual behaviors than did the normative sample. Test-retest reliability, interitem correlations, cross-validation, and correlations with abuse characteristics were also reported.

No abstract

This study endeavors to give voice to marginalized, understudied women who were abused in India. The study included 90 women who were abused who were seeking help to address violence perpetrated against them by their husbands. A semistructured interview was used to collect data on abuse characteristics, consequences of abuse, and help-seeking behavior. Findings reveal that the vast majority of participants experienced daily abuse that was extremely severe, with 70% reporting they lived under the threat of murder. More than 85% reported needing medical care for their injuries. Respondents in this study sought help from a range of sources; the most effective help was provided by counseling centers and women's shelters. These findings have important implications for clinical practice and social policy.