Childhood Sexual Abuse Severity and Disclosure Predict Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms and Biomarkers in Ethnic Minority Women

Abstract

Objective: Adult posttraumatic stress symptoms and a biomarker index of current health risk in childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors were investigated in relation to CSA severity, disclosure, and other peri- and post-trauma factors. Method: A community sample of 94 African American and Latina female CSA survivors was assessed. Results: Severe CSA predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms overall, avoidance/numbing symptoms, and greater biomarker risk and was not mediated by post-trauma variables. Moderate CSA severity was mediated by post-trauma disclosure, predicted reexperiencing symptoms, but was unrelated to biomarker risk. No overall ethnic differences were found. Conclusion: Results suggest targets for interventions to improve the well-being of minority women CSA survivors

KEYWORDS:

• child sexual abuse
• trauma severity
• posttraumatic stress
• biomarkers
• ethnic minority women

This study was supported in part by National Institute of Mental Health Grant T32 MH17140.