Severity of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Symptom Differences Between men and Women

Abstract

Several aspects of childhood sexual abuse were investigated to deterrmine the “best model” for predicting long-term symptoms found both in male and female survivors. Level of severity accounted for the most variation for both men and women for each of the five measures of trauma symptoms (dissociation, anxiety, depression, sexual dysfunction, and sleep disturbance). The most severe level of sexual abuse was associated with significantly more long-term distress than other levels of abuse in both men and women. Differences and similarities between the findings for men and women are discussed.