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University of MissouriSt. LouisThis study investigated fear reactions in rape victims for 1 year following theirassaults. One hundred fifteen victims, seen approximately 2 weeks after theassault and at 1/2, 4, 8, and 12 months postrape, were compared with amatched control group of nonvictims seen at the same intervals. To controlfor the effects of repeated testing, three additional groups of victims were as-sessed only once at either 2, 4, or 8 months postrape. All participants com-pleted the Modified Fear Survey Schedule, which yielded a total fearfulnessindex as well as six subscale scores: rape fears, animal fears, classical fears, so-cial-interpersonal fears, tissue-damage fears, and miscellaneous fears. Fol-lowing the assult, victims were significantly more fearful than nonvietim con-trols as indicated by their overall MFS score and most of the subscale scores.Although their, overall fearfulness declined somewhat and stabilized by 2months postassault, victims remained significantly more fearful than nonvie-tim controls at 12 months postassault. The rape fears and classical fears sub-scales seemed to contribute most to this elevation. Results from the single-testing victim groups indicated that repeated assessment had no effect on par-ticipants' scores.
Calhoun et al. (Mon,) studied this question.