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Reported sexual abuse and subsequent psychopathology among women attending psychology clinics: The mediating role of dissociation
Author(s) -
RossGower Jo,
Waller Glenn,
Tyson Mary,
Elliott Peter
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
british journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0144-6657
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1998.tb01388.x
Subject(s) - psychopathology , psychology , sexual abuse , clinical psychology , borderline personality disorder , psychological abuse , somatization , psychiatry , poison control , suicide prevention , anxiety , medicine , environmental health
Objective . While there is now a good clinical research base that outlines the links between reported sexual abuse and psychological symptoms and disorders, there is less of an understanding of the psychological processes mediating that relationship. This study assessed the role of dissociation as a mediator between reported sexual abuse and a range of psychopathological characteristics. Design . A patient‐series design was used. Method . Participants were an unselected sample of 45 women attending clinical psychology services. Each woman was interviewed regarding a reported history of sexual abuse, and completed standardized measures of general psychopathology, borderline personality disorder characteristics and dissociation. Results . Sexual abuse per se was associated with the extent of depression, somatization, compulsive behaviour, phobic symptoms and borderline personality disorder characteristics. In each case, dissociation served as a complete mediator in that link. However, the same mediating relationship was not found when attempting to explain the greater psychopathological impact of more ‘severe’ forms of abuse (childhood experiences; intra‐familial abuse). Conclusions . These findings suggest that the effectiveness of clinical work with these psychopathological features would be enhanced if dissociation symptoms were addressed in women with a reported history of sexual abuse. However, the importance of that therapeutic target may be unrelated to the severity of the psychological disturbance.