Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventories (MMPI-I) were used to co
mpare the personality characteristics of a sexually abused (n = 105) a
nd a matched nonabused sample of clinic patients (n = 105). Sexual abu
se survivors were more frequently characterized by higher scores on th
e Psychopathic Deviate (4) and Schizophrenia (8) scales, likely repres
enting high levels of interpersonal discord and social alientation. Wi
thin the sexually abused sample, more psychopathology was associated w
ith male-to-male abuse, and more social discomfort was evident with ab
use onset between ages 6-11 years. The results are discussed in terms
of attributional processes associated with the abuse experience and im
plications for future research.