Date of Award

2019

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Psychology

Department

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

First Advisor

Goncy, Elizabeth

Subject Headings

Clinical Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to examine how child sexual abuse (CSA), hyperarousal symptoms, and dissociation symptoms are associated with sexual revictimization in adulthood. The study hypothesized that (A) a history of CSA will be associated with greater instances of adult sexual victimization, (B) higher rates of hyperarousal will be associated with lower rates of adult sexual revictimization in survivors of CSA, (C) higher rates of dissociation will be associated with higher rates of adult sexual revictimization in survivors of CSA, and (D) in looking at both hyperarousal and dissociation, hyperarousal symptoms will buffer the relationship between CSA and sexual revictimization, whereas dissociation will exacerbate this relationship. The study provided support for the relationship between CSA and ASV in line with previous findings. Hyperarousal symptoms were associated with greater instances of ASV overall; however, they did not moderate the relationship between CSA and ASV. This may be in part due to while those with hyperarousal symptoms may be able to recognize risk, they may less able to accurately respond to credible threats. Further, there was no support for hypothesis three, as dissociative symptoms were not associated with ASV overall and did not moderate the relationship between CSA and ASV. Finally, there was no support for hypothesis four, as the moderating variables for hyperarousal, dissociation, and the three-way interaction of CSA, hyperarousal, and dissociation were all insignificant.

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