%0 Journal Article %T Childhood sexual abuse and later alcohol-related problems: investigating the roles of revictimization, PTSD, and drinking motivations among college women %J Journal of interpersonal violence %D 2017 %A Hannan, Susan M. %A Orcutt, Holly K. %A Miron, Lynsey R. %A Thompson, Kristen L. %V 32 %N 14 %P 2118-2138 %X The current study sought to examine whether symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), adolescent sexual assault (ASA), and drinking motivations (e.g., drinking to regulate emotional experiences) mediate the relationship between a history of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and subsequent alcohol-related problems among college women. Participants were 579 female students at a Midwestern university. Participants were recruited as part of a larger longitudinal study that investigated risk and resiliency factors related to sexual revictimization. Using a serial mediation model, the current study found that the proposed constructs mediated the relationship between CSA and subsequent alcohol-related problems via two separate paths. In one path, CSA was associated with PTSD, which in turn predicted drinking to regulate emotional experiences, which then was related to alcohol-related problems in adulthood. In the second path, CSA was related to ASA, which in turn predicted drinking to regulate emotional experiences, which then was related to alcohol-related problems in adulthood. These results suggest that individuals with a history of CSA are more likely to experience both revictimization in adolescence and PTSD symptoms in adulthood, which may lead to alcohol-related problems via drinking to regulate emotional experiences. These findings suggest the importance of incorporating skills training in adaptive emotion regulation strategies into treatment for individuals with a history of CSA and ASA.

Language: en

%G en %I SAGE Publishing %@ 0886-2605 %U http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0886260515591276