Citation

Barker-Collo SL. J. Interpers. Violence 1999; 14(7): 747-760.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/088626099014007005

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

As noted by the DSM-IV, "...the severity and pattern of response [to trauma] may be modulated by cultural differences" such as "culturally prescribed coping behaviors that are characteristic of particular cultures" (American Psychiatric Association, 1994, p. 430). As such, outcomes of sexual abuse (i.e., symptomatology) may differ between ethnic groups. This study examined symptomatology reported in survey data obtained from a clinical sample of 138 female survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Seventy-eight respondents were Caucasian, whereas 60 were of Native Canadian ancestry. Native Canadian women reported significantly higher levels of overall symptomatology than Caucasian women following sexual abuse, F(137, 1) = 5.57, p <.05. In addition, levels of symptoms reported on the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 did not vary equally in Native Canadian and Caucasian samples. Native Canadian individuals reported significantly higher levels of somatic, sexual, and sleep-related symptoms than Caucasians. The clinical implications of these findings are examined.

Language: en