POSTTRAUMATIC-STRESS-DISORDER IN A CLINICAL-SAMPLE OF ADULT SURVIVORSOF CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE

One hundred seventeen help-seeking adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) were assessed to investigate the relationship between the level of self-reported CSA and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). CSA was measured utilizing the Sexual Abuse Exposure Questionnaire, a new research instrument. Further preliminary psychometric properties o f the instrument were reported. CSA was operationalized to include sev erity, duration, age of onset, number of perpetrators, and use of forc e. PTSD diagnostic status was assessed utilizing a standardized instru ment, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-II-R. Eighty-six perce nt of survivors met full DSM-III-R criteria for a PTSD diagnosis at so me point during their lives. Multivariate analysis indicated that CSA severity and duration accounted for significant portions of the varian ce in PTSD symptoms, providing support for their role as traumagenic v ariables.