The role of emotion in the psychological functioning of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse

This study examined the role of two aspects of emotion in the psychological distress of individuals with and without a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). It was hypothesized that experiential avoidance and expressivity would mediate the relationship between CSA status and psychological distres...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inBehavior therapy Vol. 33; no. 4; pp. 563 - 577
Main Authors Marx, Brian P., Sloan, Denise M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 2002
Elsevier
Academic Press
Subjects
Adults
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child abuse & neglect
Emotions
Medical sciences
Psychology
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Sex crimes
Victimology
Human
Early traumatism
Sexual abuse
Cognition
Emotion emotionality
Personality
Coping
Cognitive style
Victimology
Antecedent
Stress
Psychological well being
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Summary:This study examined the role of two aspects of emotion in the psychological distress of individuals with and without a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). It was hypothesized that experiential avoidance and expressivity would mediate the relationship between CSA status and psychological distress. Ninety-nine participants completed measures that assessed for a CSA history, experiential avoidance, emotional expressivity, and psychological functioning. The results indicated that CSA status, experiential avoidance, and emotional expressivity were significantly related to psychological distress. However, only experiential avoidance mediated the relationship between CSA status and distress. These results contribute to the growing body of literature indicating that experiential avoidance has an influential role in the development of psychological symptoms.
ISSN:0005-7894
1878-1888
DOI:10.1016/S0005-7894(02)80017-X