Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0263-8959

Advisor

Oliveros, Arazais

Committee Member

McKinney, Clifford

Committee Member

Nadorff, Danielle

Committee Member

Armstrong, Kevin J.

Date of Degree

8-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 2 Years

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Major

Applied Psychology (Clinical Psychology)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Psychology

Abstract

Sexual violence (SV) affects millions of people, with an estimated 24.8 – 43.6% of people in the United States reporting at least one form of SV in their lifetime. SV has been associated with the development of negative outcomes such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). There is a robust body of evidence which demonstrates the impact that social reactions to SV and coping can have on higher post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms. Furthermore, studies have shown that individuals from marginalized communities (e.g., racial/ethnic, gender, sexual orientation) may be disproportionately impacted, with greater exposure to SV, negative social reactions, and PTS. Studies have also supported that PTS can be further exacerbated by minority stress and that being a member of multiple marginalized groups, where identities intersect, may confer additional stress relative to each identity. The current study examined the relation between number of intersecting marginalized identities (MID) and exposure to SV across the lifetime, receipt of negative social reactions, and PTS symptoms after SV; additionally, moderated regression models were conducted to test whether coping styles and types of social reactions to disclosure moderated the relation between number of MID and PTS symptoms. Results of moderated regression models were non-significant for moderation effects between MID and coping styles and MID and social reactions to disclosure, however PTS symptoms were significantly predicted by several of the study variables. Additionally, results of analyses conducted to identify if significant differences existed for rates of SV exposure, receipt of negative social reactions to disclosure, and PTS symptoms between identity groups were mixed, and were further complicated by timing of data collection (i.e., pre- or post-COVID-19) Findings, limitations and future directions are discussed.

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