Emotion dysregulation and risky sexual behavior in revictimization

Abstract

Objective: The current study examined emotion dysregulation as a mechanism underlying risky sexual behavior and sexual revictimization among adult victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) and child physical abuse (CPA). Methods: Participants were 752 college women. Victimization history, emotion dysregulation, and risky sexual behavior were assessed with anonymous, self-report surveys utilizing a cross-sectional design. Results: Approximately 6.3% of participants reported CSA, 25.5% reported CPA, and 17.8% reported rape during adolescence or adulthood. CSA and CPA were associated with increased risk for adolescent/adult rape; 29.8% of CSA victims and 24.3% of CPA victims were revictimized. Path analytic models tested hypothesized relationships among child abuse, emotion dysregulation, adolescent/adult rape and three forms of risky sexual behavior (e.g., failure to use condoms, contraception, or having sex with someone under the influence of alcohol/drugs), including frequency of risky sexual behavior with a regular dating partner, with a stranger, and lifetime number of intercourse partners. Emotion dysregulation mediated revictimization for both CSA and CPA. Emotion dysregulation also predicted lifetime number of sexual partners and frequency of risky sex with a stranger, but not frequency of risky sex with a regular dating partner. Conclusions: Findings suggest that emotion dysregulation is a distal predictor, and risky sex, particularly with lesser known partners, is a proximal predictor of sexual revictimization. Because emotion dysregulation also maintained a significant direct path to revictimization, risky sexual behavior appears to be one of several proximal risk factors for revictimization. Practice implications: Findings confirm that emotion dysregulation is a critical pathway to more proximal risk factors such as risky sexual behavior, and suggest that clinical interventions aimed at improving emotion dysregulation may help reduce risky sexual behavior and risk for revictimization.

Alcohol Expectancy, Drinking Behavior, and Sexual Victimization Among Female and Male College Students

“…Early life experiences can pave the way toward future victimization, such that individuals with a history of childhood sexual abuse are at much greater risk of enduring revictimization as an adult (Aosved et al, 2011;Elliott, Mok, & Briere, 2004;Gidycz, Coble, Latham, & Layman, 1993). For example, one study found that approximately 30% of child sexual abuse victims experienced subsequent rape as an adolescent or adult (Messman-Moore, Walsh, & DiLillo, 2010). Moreover, though 9% of children have experienced sexual abuse, the likelihood of being a victim is much greater among girls compared with boys (Synder, 2000).…”

Measuring Abuse Sequelae: Validating and Extending the Trauma Symptom Checklist–40

“…Clemmons and colleagues (2007) reported a CSA base rate of 8.2% in a male and MEASURING ABUSE SEQUELAE 19 female college student sample. Messman-Moore et al (2010) reported that 6.6% of the college women in their sample endorsed a history of CSA. The much higher base rate reported in Fromuth's (1986) study may have been as a result of a self-selection effect.…”

“…For college men, self-reports of CSA range from 10% to 16% (Boudewyn & Liem, 1995;Clemmons, 2004;Clemmons et al, 2007). For college women, self-reports of CSA range from 6.3% to 28% and self-reports of CPA ranged MEASURING ABUSE SEQUELAE 6 from 14.7% to 32.4% (Boudewyn & Liem, 1995;Cruise, 1998;Fox & Gilbert, 1994;Fromuth, 1986;Gagnon, 1965;Gold et al, 1994;Messman-Moore, Walsh, & DiLillo, 2010).…”

The role of substance use and emotion dysregulation in predicting risk for incapacitated sexual revictimization in women: Results of a prospective investigation.

“…Among female prison inmates, revictimized women report greater emotion dysregulation, including greater emotional nonacceptance, lack of emotional clarity and awareness, and a greater tendency to engage in impulsive behavior when distressed (Walsh, DiLillo, & Scalora, 2011). Emotion dysregulation is also linked with risky sexual behavior in college women, which predicts revictimization (Messman-Moore, Walsh, & DiLillo, 2010).…”