Prior interpersonal trauma: The contribution to current PTSD symptoms in female rape victims

The purpose of the current study was to disentangle the relationship of chi ldhood sexual abuse and childhood physical abuse from prior adult sexual an d physical victimization in predicting current posttraumatic stress disorde r (PTSD) symptoms in recent rape victims. The participants were: a communit y sample of 117 adult rape victims assessed within I month of a recent inde x rape for a history of child sexual abuse, child physical abuse, other adu lt sexual and physical victimization, and current PTSD symptoms. Results fr om path analyses showed that a history of child sexual abuse seems to incre ase vulnerability for adult sexual and physical Victimization and appears t o contribute to current PTSD symptoms within the cumulative context of othe r adult trauma.