Anxiety Mediates the Relation Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Genito-Pelvic Pain in Adolescent Girls

Abstract

Previous research has demonstrated associations between child sexual abuse, anxiety, and genito-pelvic pain, but no study to date has examined whether sexual abuse may be associated with genito-pelvic pain through victims' elevated anxiety. The present study aimed to determine whether anxiety mediates the relationship between child sexual abuse and genito-pelvic pain. Using self-report questionnaires, data were gathered from 218 sexually active adolescent girls recruited from seven metropolitan high schools. As expected, results revealed a significant indirect effect of sexual abuse on the development of genito-pelvic pain through trait anxiety. This study thus suggests that anxiety may be one of the mechanisms by which child sexual abuse leads to an increased risk of developing genito-pelvic pain in this population.

FUNDING

This research was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Fellowship awarded to the fourth author and by a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CHIR) awarded to the last author.