George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA.
J Interpers Violence. 2021 Feb;36(3-4):NP1986-2004NP. doi: 10.1177/0886260518756117. Epub 2018 Feb 14.
Relative to survivors of other traumatic events, survivors of sexual assault have an increased likelihood of meeting criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are also comparatively more likely to exhibit higher levels of PTSD symptom severity. Recent research has highlighted the importance of trauma-related disclosure within the context of intimate relationships for posttrauma functioning and recovery, but this phenomenon has yet to be examined specifically in sexual assault survivor samples. Accordingly, this study examines the association of PTSD symptom severity with disclosure about one's experience of sexual assault to one's intimate partner, as well as the association of such disclosure with trauma-related shame and perception of partners' negative and positive responses to trauma-related disclosure. A sample of 104 female participants who had disclosed their experience of sexual assault to their current romantic partner provided survey data. On average, these participants reported a moderate amount of trauma-related disclosure. Counter to hypotheses, level of engagement in trauma-related disclosure was not significantly correlated with PTSD symptom severity, shame, or perceived negative responses to disclosure. Only perceived positive responses to disclosure demonstrated a significant, bivariate association with overall level of engagement in trauma-related disclosure. Similarly, when trauma-related shame, negative responses, and positive responses were accounted for simultaneously, only positive responses were related to level of disclosure. Overall, results suggest that intimate relationships may serve as a unique context for disclosure about one's history of sexual assault, with perceived positive responses demonstrating particularly strong associations with level of engagement in trauma-related disclosure.
与其他创伤事件的幸存者相比，性侵犯幸存者更有可能符合创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）的标准。他们也更有可能表现出更高水平的 PTSD 症状严重程度。最近的研究强调了在亲密关系背景下与创伤相关的披露对于创伤后功能和恢复的重要性，但这一现象尚未在性侵犯幸存者样本中进行具体研究。因此，本研究考察了 PTSD 症状严重程度与向亲密伴侣披露性侵犯经历之间的关联，以及这种披露与创伤相关的羞耻感以及对伴侣对创伤相关披露的负面和正面反应的感知之间的关联。一项对 104 名向当前浪漫伴侣披露性侵犯经历的女性参与者进行的调查提供了调查数据。平均而言，这些参与者报告了相当数量的与创伤相关的披露。与假设相反，与创伤相关的披露程度与 PTSD 症状严重程度、羞耻感或对披露的负面反应没有显著相关性。只有对披露的正面感知与总体参与创伤相关披露程度呈显著的双变量相关。同样，当同时考虑到创伤相关的羞耻感、负面反应和正面反应时，只有正面反应与披露程度有关。总体而言，结果表明，亲密关系可能是披露性侵犯史的独特环境，而对披露的正面感知与参与创伤相关披露的程度具有特别强的关联。
