Jm. Golding et al., Prevalence of sexual abuse history in a sample of women seeking treatment for premenstrual syndrome, J PSYCH OBS, 21(2), 2000, pp. 69-80
Citations number
66
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,"Reproductive Medicine
Journal title
JOURNAL OF PSYCHOSOMATIC OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY
This study evaluated the prevalence and correlates of sexual abuse history
among women seeking treatment for severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Of 77
women participating in a randomized clinical trial of non-pharmacological
treatments for severe PMS, 42 were interviewed regarding their sexual abuse
history. The interviewed women were a mean of 38 years old, and most were
of European ancestry heterosexual, married, employed and well-educated. At
least one attempted or completed sexual abuse event was reported by 95% of
the women, with 81 % reporting completed penetration against their will and
85% of these sustaining physical threat or harm. Compared to prior studies
of sexually abused women in general populations, these women were abused e
arlier in life, more frequently and by similar types of offenders. Most of
the abused women (65%) were estimated to have post-traumatic stress disorde
r (PTSD). Most abused women (83 %) had never disclosed the abuse to a healt
h practitioner The findings suggest that a history of sexual abuse, particu
larly in childhood or adolescence, may be extremely common among women seek
ing treatment for severe PMS, and that substantial undiagnosed PTSD may als
o be present in this population. Implications for patient screening and tre
atment are discussed.