MEDIATORS OF THE LONG-TERM IMPACT OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE - PERCEIVED STIGMA, BETRAYAL, POWERLESSNESS, AND SELF-BLAME

Using a community sample of 192 adult women who had been sexually abus ed during childhood, the present study tested the hypothesis that perc eived stigma, betrayal, powerlessness, and self-blame mediate the long -term effects of child sexual abuse. A path analysis indicated that th e level of psychological distress currently experienced by adult women who had been sexually abused in childhood was mediated by feelings of stigma and self-blame. This result provides partial support for Finke lhor and Browne's (1985) traumagenic dynamics model of child sexual ab use. The limitations of the study are discussed.