The effects of daily stressors on physical health in women with and without a childhood history of sexual abuse.

Focuses on a study of the relationship between the daily stressors and physical symptoms in college-age women with a childhood history of sexual abuse and women without a history of childhood sexual abuse. Method; Characteristics of the participants; Data analyses; Conclusions
Author: 
Thakkar,Reena R.
McCanne,Thomas R.
Notes: 
IL- 2 charts, 4 graphs AN- 2714802 Full Text: Unavailable
Reprint Status: 
IN FILE
Start Page: 
209
End Page: 
221
Journal/Periodical Name: 
Child Abuse Neglect
Volume: 
24
Issue: 
2
Abstract: 
The focus of this study is the impact of a history of sexual abuse during childhood on the effects of daily stress and physical symptoms during adulthood among a sample of 491 female college students. The participants in the study responded to self-report questionnaires over a period of 28 consecutive days. Analysis revealed that women with a history of childhood sexual abuse are more sensitive to the effects of increased daily stress. In addition, this sensitivity is associated with their increased likelihood to report physical symptoms during the days prior to their most stressful day. However, elevated levels of physical symptoms were not reported for the days following the high-stress target days implying that daily stress has a discrete and short effect on the report of physical symptoms. In contrast, women without a history of sexual abuse during childhood show no significant association between daily stress and physical symptoms. The article concludes by proposing several possible explanations for the results found in the study, contrasts these with other studies on the same topic, and addresses certain limitations specific to the research.
Topic Areas: 
Effects; survivors
Reference Type: 
JOUR
Reference ID: 
389
Publication Date: 
2000