PREDICTING PTSD IN WOMEN WITH A HISTORY OF CHILDHOOD RAPE

The impact of factors that predispose childhood rape victims to develo p posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is important in understanding b oth the impact of childhood rape and the development of PTSD as a psyc hological disorder. The present study attempted to determine which cri me, perpetrator, victim, and aftermath characteristics are related to PTSD status. A national representative sample of women (N = 3,220) wer e interviewed about their history of rape, trauma-related variables, a nd PTSD status. Consistent with research on crime victims, life thr-ea t and physical injury discriminated PTSD status in a sample of childho od rape victims. In addition, two other domains were related to PTSD d evelopment: (1) testification about rape and (2) rape types. The prese nt findings are discussed in relation to previous research.