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The study examines the responses to the Trauma Symptom Checklist (TSC) of college women (n = 654) sexually abused as children, sexually assaulted as adults, sexually assaulted as children and adults, and nonabused. Also investigated was the role of mediating variables: parental support, attributional style, and coping. Subjects completed a series of self-report measures in small groups. Sexual abuse was associated with more symptoms and more recent assaults, and revictimized women reported the most symptoms. The hypothesized mediating variables were predictive of scores on the Dissociation, Anxiety, Depression, Sexual Abuse Trauma Index, and Sexual Problems subscales. The interaction of low levels of parental support and a nonexpressive coping style was predictive of Anxiety and Depression scores. The results support the validity of the TSC as a measure of sexual abuse trauma and point to family patterns associated with prolonged symptomatology.
Gold et al. (1994) studied this question.