Pj. Long et Jl. Jackson, INITIAL EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE - EMOTION PROFILES OF VICTIMS AND RELATIONSHIP TO LATER ADJUSTMENT, Journal of family violence, 8(2), 1993, pp. 167-181
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.