PROSPECTIVE INVESTIGATION OF MENTAL HEALTH FOLLOWING SEXUAL ASSAULT

    Authors

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

    Comments

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    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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