Citation

Schoedl AF, Costa MC, Mari JJ, Mello MF, Tyrka AR, Carpenter LL, Price LH. J. Child Sex. Abus. 2010; 19(2): 156-170.

Affiliation

Federal University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil. alinescho@yahoo.com

Copyright

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

DOI

10.1080/10538711003615038

PMID

20390785

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between the age of -self-reported sexual abuse occurrence and the development of post-traumatic stress disorder and/or depressive symptoms in adulthood. Subjects were evaluated for the presence of post-traumatic stress disorder and/or depressive symptoms as well as for a self-reported history of sexual abuse before the age of 18. Results found that relative risk of having severe post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms was 10 times higher in patients reporting sexual abuse after age 12 than in those reporting sexual abuse before age 12. Relative risk of having severe depressive symptoms was higher for those abused before the age of 12 than for those abused after the age of 12. Findings suggest that the impact of reported sexual abuse at different stages of development may lead to distinct psychiatric symptoms in adulthood.

Language: en