THE EFFECTS OF ANTIABORTION DEMONSTRATORS AND PRO-CHOICE ESCORTS ON WOMENS PSYCHOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO ABORTION

This study examined the impact of anti-abortion demonstrators and pro- choice escorts on women's post-abortion distress. Results revealed tha t the more women seeking an abortion reported being upset by anti-abor tion demonstrators and the more intense anti-abortion activity they en countered while attempting to enter the clinic, the more depressed the y were immediately post-abortion. Results also suggested that pro-choi ce escorts were able to partially insulate women against direct contac t with the anti-abortion demonstrators and helped to protect women aga inst the negative psychological effects attributable to the number of anti-abortion demonstrators outside the clinic. However, the escorts w ere not able to buffer effects attributable to the intensity of anti-a bortion picketing.