To examine the utility of a self-report scale of sexual assault trauma, 223 female victims were interviewed with the 43-item Sexual Assault Symptom Scale II (SASS II) at 1, 3, 7, 11, and 15 months postassault. Factor analyses using principal-components extraction with an oblimin rotation yielded 7 common factors with 31 items. The internal…

Evaluated the relationship between abuse-specific variables and levels of depression, anxiety, and self-worth in a racially mixed sample of 134 sexually abused girls. Found penetration predicted a more serious outcome on all study variables, and an interaction effects between force and perpetrator's identity. (JBJ)

Examined influence of assault and participant characteristics on medical students' attitudes toward rape and nonsexual-assault victims. First- and third-year students read narratives of three types of assault patients. Female students revealed more favorable attitudes toward victims than did males. Implications for service delivery to rape victims…

Studies the relationship between incest and bulimic behavior. Indicates incest victims are significantly more likely to binge, vomit, experience a loss of control over eating, and report body dissatisfaction than control subjects. Suggests incest may increase risk of bulimic behavior, and that eating problems may be a part of a larger pattern of…

Reviews the literature on the psychological impact of rape on adult female victims, and explores typical patterns of recovery, types of symptoms, and variables affecting recovery. Explores moderating and preassault variables, within-assault variables such as acquaintance status and level of violence, and postassault variables such as social…

Reviews the past decade's literature on woman battering so as to summarize selected works that may offer the greatest assistance to activists, practitioners, and researchers. Covers theoretical viewpoints, battered women and the medical field, law enforcement, the legal system, homicide, marital rape, child custody, popular myths, and stereotypes.…

Screened 391 women for a history of sexual assault during childhood and then assessed subjects for mental disorders. Results indicate that rape and molestation, but not noncontact sexual assault, increased incidents of mental disorders, suggesting that physical sexual contact leads to severe mental health effects. Other findings are discussed.…

Tested the relative influence of relationship variables in the family of origin and sexual abuse characteristics in predicting the long-term adjustment of child sexual abuse survivors. Subjects (n=103) completed self-report measures. Persons with histories of sexual abuse reported greater parental conflict than did their nonabused counterparts.…

Rape victims' gaze behavior when identifying a defendant and the prior relationship between victim and defendant were examined for effects on rape culpability attributions. In comparison with victims who used gaze maintenance or natural gaze behavior, rape victims' gaze avoidance was perceived as indicative of less truthfulness rather than…