Citation

Harding HG, Zinzow HM, Burns EE, Jackson JL. J. Child Sex. Abus. 2010; 19(2): 171-189.

Affiliation

University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, USA. hharding@uga.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/10538711003615020

PMID

20390786

Abstract

Previous research suggests that similarity to a victim may influence attributions of responsibility in hypothetical child sexual abuse scenarios. One aspect of similarity receiving mixed support in the literature is respondent child sexual abuse history. Using a sample of 1,345 college women, the present study examined child sexual abuse history, similarity to victim, and attributions of responsibility to a hypothetical victim, family member, and perpetrator in a child sexual abuse vignette. Results revealed no group differences in responsibility ratings among respondents with and without child sexual abuse histories. However, among the 133 respondents with child sexual abuse histories, results indicated that similarity to victim moderated the relationship between vignette characteristics, respondent history, and responsibility attributions. Results suggest that similarity to a victim may influence ratings in a self-preserving manner.

Language: en