A retrospective analysis of shame, dissociation, and adult victimization in survivors of childhood sexual abuse

The relationship between childhood sexual abuse and victimization in adulth ood was studied using a sample of 548 university women, including 56 who re ported childhood incidences of incestuous abuse, 98 who reported sexual abu se by a peer or a nonfamily member, and 394 who reported no childhood sexua l abuse experiences. Possible mediating variables of shame and dissociation were investigated. Chi-square analyses showed that there was a statistical ly significant association between women who were abused in childhood and a dult victimization. Legit regression analyses demonstrated that the odds of revictimization in adulthood were greater for women who were abused in chi ldhood than for those who were not abused. Dissociation was not found to be a predictor of adult victimization, whereas shame was found to be a statis tically significant predictor.