Joint Consequences of Parental Alcoholism and Childhood Sexual Abuse, and Their Partial Mediation by Family Environment

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of childhood sexual abuse and parental alcoholism in a sample of university women. Current symptoms of anxiety and depression were measured together with retrospective reports of subjects’ families of origin. Using a 2X2 factorial design, main effects on symptoms were obtained for sexual abuse and parental alcoholism, but their interaction was not significant. With respect to family environment, a history of sexual abuse was associated with perceptions that families of origin had less cohesion, more conflict, less emphasis on moral-religious matters, less emphasis on achievement, and less of an orientation towards intellectual, cultural, and recreational pursuits. Similarly, subjects who had alcoholic parents reported less family cohesion, more conflict, and less emphasis on moral-religious matters. Results of analyses of co variance suggested that family environment was a mediator of current symptoms of anxiety, but not symptoms of depression.

Childhood maltreatment and the risk of substance problems in later life

“…Based on a large national random sample in the United States, Straus & Kantor (1994) found experiences of parental violence during childhood increased the risk for depression in adulthood. Yama et al (1992) found that history of childhood sexual abuse increased the risk for adulthood depression and anxiety as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory and IPAT Anxiety Scale Questionnaire, respectively. Based on a sample of 259 employed women, Wind & Silvern (1992) found that experiences of incest and severe physical abuse increased the risk for adulthood psychopathology (e.g.…”

“…Several studies have found that experiences of childhood abuse increase the risk for mental health problems for both adults (e.g. Wind & Sivern 1992, Yama et al 1992, Mullen et al 1993) and adolescents (Kurtz et al 1993, Stein et al 1994, Boney-McCoy & Finkelhor 1995.…”

Conceptualizing Child Sexual Abuse in Interpersonal Context: Recovery of People, Not Memories

“…These problems include poor social adjustment (Harter et al, 1988), anxiety and depression (Yama, Tovey, Fogas, & Teegarden, 1992), as well as other psychological symptoms (Conte & Schuerman, 1987;Fromuth, 1986;Nash, Hulsey, Sexton, Harralson, & Lambert, 1993). A number of investigators have suggested, based on findings such as these, that family environment may play a substantial role in the development of long term psychological impairment among CSA survivors-possibly one even greater than that of abuse itself (Alexander, 1992(Alexander, , 1993Browne & Finkelhor, 1986;Fromuth, 1986;Mullen, 1993;Nash et al, 1993;Yama et al, 1992).…”

Impact of parental history of substance use disorders on the clinical course of anxiety disorders

“…Only one study to date has controlled for childhood abuse. In a study of 90 families, parental alcoholism and sexual abuse were found to be independent predictors of increased interpersonal anxiety among youth [19]. …”