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Do Child Abuse and Maternal Care Interact to Predict Military Sexual Trauma?
Author(s) -
Wilson Laura C.,
Kimbrel Nathan A.,
Meyer Eric C.,
Young Keith A.,
Morissette Sandra B.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.22143
Subject(s) - sexual abuse , odds ratio , psychiatry , intervention (counseling) , military service , psychology , poison control , psychological abuse , child abuse , clinical psychology , injury prevention , suicide prevention , physical abuse , odds , child sexual abuse , medicine , medical emergency , logistic regression , archaeology , pathology , history
Objective The present research tested the hypothesis that maternal care moderates the relationship between childhood sexual abuse and subsequent military sexual trauma (MST). Method Measures of childhood sexual abuse, maternal care, and MST were administered to 197 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans. Results After accounting for gender, age, and the main effects of maternal care and childhood sexual abuse, the maternal care x childhood sexual abuse interaction was a significant predictor of MST (odds ratio = .28, β = −1.26, 95% confidence intervals of .10, .80). As hypothesized, rates of MST were higher among veterans who reported childhood sexual abuse and low levels of maternal care (43%) compared with veterans who reported childhood sexual abuse and high levels of maternal care (11%). Conclusion These findings suggest that high levels of maternal care may act as a protective factor against future revictimization among military service members. These findings have the potential to inform both prevention and intervention efforts.