Title

PROSPECTIVE INVESTIGATION OF MENTAL HEALTH FOLLOWING SEXUAL ASSAULT

Authors

Authors

A. Nickerson; M. Steenkamp; I. M. Aerka; K. Salters-Pedneault; T. L. Carper; J. B. Barnes;B. T. Litz

Comments

Authors: contact us about adding a copy of your work at STARS@ucf.edu

Abbreviated Journal Title

Depress. Anxiety

Keywords

posttraumatic stress disorders; traumatic stress; anxiety disorders; depressive disorders; rape; POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER; PSYCHIATRIC COMORBIDITY; DEPRESSIVE; SYMPTOMS; RISK-FACTORS; TRAUMA; SAMPLE; VICTIMS; ASSOCIATIONS; COMMUNITY; EXPOSURE; Psychology, Clinical; Psychiatry; Psychology

Abstract

Background Comorbidity in psychological disorders is common following exposure to a traumatic event. Relatively little is known about the manner in which changes in the symptoms of a given type of psychological disorder in the acute period following a trauma impact changes in symptoms of another disorder. This study investigated the relationship between changes in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety symptoms in the first 12 weeks following sexual assault. Methods Participants were 126 women who had been sexually assaulted in the previous 4 weeks. Results Lower level mediation analyses revealed that changes in PTSD symptoms had a greater impact on changes in depression and anxiety than vice versa. Conclusions The finding highlights the role of PTSD symptoms in influencing subsequent change in other psychological symptoms. These findings are discussed in the context of models detailing the trajectory of psychological disorders following trauma, and clinical implications are considered.

Journal Title

Depression and Anxiety

Volume

30

Issue/Number

5

Publication Date

1-1-2013

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

444

Last Page

450

WOS Identifier

WOS:000318251800005

ISSN

1091-4269

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