Interpersonal friction and PTSD in female victims of sexual and nonsexual assault

This study examines the relationship among features of social relationships , both negative and positive, and later posttrauma pathology. Using a prosp ective design, 142 female victims of sexual or nonsexual assault were asses sed at both 2 weeks and 3 months following the assault. We examined self-re ported perceptions of how often the participant has been the recipient of s ocially supportive actions by others and how often the participant has been engaged in interpersonal friction with others. Degree of interpersonal fri ction shortly after the assault predicted PTSD severity 3 months later: On the contrary, positive social support did not predict later PTSD severity. These results are consistent with previous studies that underscore the asso ciation between negative features of social relationships and PTSD.