Child sexual abuse, coping strategies and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder among female inmates

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in female inmates in China. A total of 471 participants were assessed for CSA, personality traits, coping strategies, and frequency of lifetime PTSD. Results demonstrated that CSA and negative coping were predictive factors for lifetime PTSD among female inmates after personality traits were controlled. The findings suggest that CSA is one potential factor contributing to lifetime PTSD among female inmates. The importance of screening for CSA among female inmates was highly emphasized. Early intervention and prevention programmes based on coping skills may be useful to forestall the development of chronic PTSD in female inmates.

Citation

Huang, G., Zhang, Y., Momartin, S., Huang, X. and Zhao, L. (2008), "Child sexual abuse, coping strategies and lifetime posttraumatic stress disorder among female inmates", International Journal of Prisoner Health, Vol. 4 No. 1, pp. 54-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449200701875840