Persistent Complications of Child Sexual Abuse: Sexually Compulsive Behaviors, Attachment, and Emotions

ABSTRACT

Child sexual abuse has the potential to cause distress for the victim across the lifespan. Romantic relationships may be particularly difficult for victims of child sexual abuse. This retrospective study examined differences in adult romantic attachment, sexually compulsive behaviors, and emotion regulation by history of child sexual abuse in a large, nonclinical sample. Those with a history of child sexual abuse reported more attachment anxiety in romantic relationships and engaged in more sexually compulsive behaviors. Overall, males displayed more sexually compulsive behaviors than females regardless of history of sexual abuse. Males with a history of sexual abuse displayed the greatest number of sexually compulsive behaviors. Surprisingly, no differences were observed in emotion regulation or attachment avoidant behaviors by history of child sexual abuse. Future research should seek to replicate current findings and examine emotion regulation difficulties experienced as a result of trauma.

KEYWORDS:

• children
• gender issues
• mental health
• sexual abuse

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dixie Meyer

Dixie Meyer, PhD, NCC, LPC, is an assistant professor in family and community medicine at Saint Louis University.

Aaron Cohn

Aaron S. Cohn, MA, PLMFT, is a doctoral candidate in family therapy at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and a family therapist/psychometrician at Jewish Family and Children’s Service in Saint Louis, Missouri.

Brittany Robinson

Brittany Robinson, PhD, LMFT, is an adjunct professor in family and community medicine at Saint Louis University.

Fatima Muse

Fatima La’Juan Muse, MEd, is a doctoral student at Saint Louis University and an adjunct professor in psychology at Maryville University.

Rachel Hughes

Rachel Hughes, MA, LMFT, is a medical family therapy fellow at St. Mary’s Family Medicine Residency and a doctoral student in family and community medicine at Saint Louis University.