The Role of Coping Behaviors and Intoxication in Trauma Symptomology Subsequent to Sexual Victimization

ABSTRACT

College women are at an elevated risk for sexual victimization (SV) and secondary physical and psychological consequences. While some women experience negative outcomes such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), others experience reduced or complete absence of distress following SV. The variation in outcomes may be associated with the victim’s level of intoxication, which may in turn affect their processing of and coping with the event. We examined the effects of SV severity on PTSD via coping and intoxication using a moderated mediation analysis among female college students (N = 375). Results demonstrate that coping mediates the association between SV severity and PTSD symptomology; however, intoxication did not moderate these associations. Results suggest that regardless of intoxication, SV severity influences various coping styles and plays an important role in a victim’s adjustment post-victimization.

KEYWORDS:

• sexual victimization
• PTSD symptomology
• coping
• college women
• intoxication

Acknowledgments

A previous version of this research was submitted as the first author’s thesis in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the M.A. degree in clinical psychology at Rowan University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Ethical standards and informed consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (Rowan University, United States) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Danika Charles

Danika Charles, M.A., is a sixth-year doctoral candidate in clinical psychology at Rowan University. Danika’s primary research agenda centers on improving clinical interventions for legally-involved populations to promote culturally sensitive, evidence-based services for diverse populations. Additional interests include examining health disparities, sexual violence, climate change to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion, and substance abuse.

DJ Angelone

DJ Angelone, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Psychology at Rowan University. His research focuses on laboratory based experimental methodologies examining risk recognition, sexually violent behavior, and observer perceptions of sexually assaultive behavior. He also uses survey-based methods to understand the correlates of sexually violent and risky behaviors, as well as factors related to successful substance abuse treatment and twelve-step engagement.

Meredith C. Jones

Meredith Jones, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Rowan University. Her primary research centers on risk behaviors that occur within young people’s romantic relationships and make them vulnerable to dating violence, sexual assault, unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. Related interests include attachment theory, health risk behaviors, health disparities and healthcare engagement, and mental health.