Sexual assault history and social support: six general population studies

J Trauma Stress. 2002 Jun;15(3):187-97. doi: 10.1023/A:1015247110020.

Abstract

We evaluated the association of sexual assault history with later social support, operationalized as network size, marital status, presence of a partner, frequency of network contacts, and emotional support from friends and family, from spouse, and from partner. Data came from six independent general population surveys (pooled N = 9,865) whose results were summarized using meta-analysis. People who had been sexually assaulted were less likely than others to be married (OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.65, 0.87) or to report at least weekly contact with friends and relatives (OR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.31, 0.75), and reported less emotional support from friends and family (OR = 0.72,95% CI = 0.58,0.89) and spouse (OR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.54, 0.82). Results were consistent across studies, genders, and ethnic groups. Circumstances of sexual assault were sometimes related to social support.

Publication types

  • Meta-Analysis
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Child
  • Child Abuse, Sexual / psychology*
  • Community Networks
  • Female
  • Friends
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Marital Status
  • Medical History Taking
  • Rape / psychology*
  • Research Design
  • Social Support*
  • Spouses / psychology
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / prevention & control*
  • Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / psychology*
  • Survivors / psychology*
  • United States