Psychopathology among adult survivors of in-person and online child sexual abuse
- WCU Author/Contributor (non-WCU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Tatum Inez Feiler (Creator)
- Institution
- Western Carolina University (WCU )
- Web Site: http://library.wcu.edu/
- Advisor
- David Solomon
Abstract: While an extensive body of research has documented the deleterious consequences of in-person child sexual abuse (CSA), there is a paucity of literature on the sequela of online child sexual abuse. With the sexual abuse of youth increasingly occurring online, it is crucial that more research attention is devoted to this issue to better meet the mental health needs of people who have experienced online CSA. To address this research gap, this study examined the following hypotheses: 1) Online child sexual abuse (image-based abuse, sexual solicitation, & commercial sexual activity) will positively and significantly relate to psychopathology symptoms in adulthood (PTSD, depression, SAD); 2) Online child sexual abuse will account for additional variation in psychopathology symptoms in adulthood above and beyond what is accounted for by in-person child sexual abuse; 3) Online child sexual abuse will account for additional variation in perceived powerlessness in adulthood above and beyond what is accounted for by in-person child sexual abuse; and 4) Being made the subject of child sexual abuse imagery (CSAI) will positively and significantly relate to SAD in adulthood, with perceived powerlessness having a significant moderating effect on this relationship. Data was collected from October 2023 to January 2024 at Western Carolina University. Adults (age 18 years or older) were recruited for this online survey study via social media platforms. In-person child sexual abuse was assessed with the Maltreatment History and Impact Questionnaire (Solomon, 2023), while online CSA wase assessed with items our team developed and sampled from other child maltreatment studies. PTSD was assessed with the PTSD Checklist for the DSM-5 (Weathers et al., 2013). SAD was assessed with the Severity Measure for Social Anxiety Disorder (Craske et al., 2013). Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (Kroenke et al., 2001). Powerlessness was assessed with a 3-item scale developed by Coffey et al. (1996). Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 29.0. Results supported hypotheses 1, 2, and 3. Implications for clinical practice and future directions for research are discussed.
Psychopathology among adult survivors of in-person and online child sexual abuse
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Created on 4/1/2024
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Additional Information
- Publication
- Thesis
- Language: English
- Date: 2024
- Subjects
- Psychology, Pathological
- Child sexual abuse
- Sexual abuse victims