Trauma Symptom Severity in Child Sexual Abuse (CSA): An Examination of Self-Concept, Social Competence, and Academic Performance as Protective Factors

Abstract

While all forms of child maltreatment are of significant concern, child sexual abuse (CSA) has been identified as one of the most significant public health issues in the United States (Anda et al., 2006). CSA has been defined as any sexual activity involving a child and can range from contact to non-contact offenses (Dominguez, Nelke, & Perry, 2001). Research has extensively shown that the experience of CSA is linked to both short and long-term consequences and a wide range of psychiatric disorders, including: posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, aggression, and substance use (Dominguez, et al., 2001; Kendall-Tackett, Williams, & Finkelhor, 1993; Maniglio, 2009; Mullen, Martin, Anderson, Romans, & Herbison, 1996; Putnam, 2003). Despite the strong association between CSA and poor outcomes and maladjustment, a subset of individuals, who experience child maltreatment, and specifically CSA, are able to positively adapt in the context of adversity (Kendall-Tackett et al., 1993; Masten, 2001). Given the detrimental effects of CSA, it is important to understand the various protective factors that might buffer against the adverse effects of CSA. The current study is a cross-sectional analysis of archival data with the primary aim of understanding the moderating influence of protective factors—self-concept, social competence, and academic performance—on the relationship between CSA severity and the development of posttraumatic psychopathology