INITIAL EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE - EMOTION PROFILES OF VICTIMS AND RELATIONSHIP TO LATER ADJUSTMENT

A sample of 137 college women's retrospective reports of childhood sex ual abuse were examined in order to identify the emotional responses t hese victims experienced at the time of abuse and to investigate the r elationship between these responses and the long-term effects of abuse . Results identified three important dimensions of responding includin g guilt/fear, anger/disgust, and positive emotions. Further, five grou ps of victims displaying unique emotion profiles were identified. Thes e include: (a) guilty/fearful individuals, (b) low responders, (c) ang ry/disgusted individuals, (d) ambivalent individuals, and (e) positive individuals. It was determined that victims' responses to abuse were associated with abuse severity. Finally, victim's affective responses to abuse were related to subsequent adjustment. Individuals experienci ng high levels of guilt/fear were identified as exhibiting poorer soci al adjustment than either individuals reporting primarily anger or dis gust or individuals reporting low levels of all emotions. Possible mec hanisms through which these experiences have their effects are discuss ed.