Effects of childhood maltreatment on revictimization: The role of state dissociation and sexual assertiveness

Nowak, Rieke (2022) Effects of childhood maltreatment on revictimization: The role of state dissociation and sexual assertiveness. Master thesis, Psychology.

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Abstract

Women with a history of childhood maltreatment (CM) are at high risk for revictimization, but less is known about the role of state dissociation and sexual (un)assertiveness in this link. The current study aimed to test whether CM severity is positively associated with adulthood victimization severity and whether this association is mediated by state dissociation and sexual assertiveness. Accordingly, first-year college women (N = 782) were recruited, and their CM history, adulthood victimization history, assertiveness in sexual contexts, and state dissociation were assessed. Half of the students (53%) reported at least one type of CM, almost half of them (49%) reported adulthood victimization, and revictimization was reported by 34,7%. A mediational model using PROCESS Macro by Hayes (2013) was assessed and revealed a significant direct effect, confirming that CM severity is significantly related to greater adulthood victimization severity. In addition, state dissociation partially mediated the link between CM severity and adulthood victimization severity. In contrast, the proposed mediator sexual assertiveness did not mediate the association between CM severity and adulthood victimization severity in our sample. Although our study is cross-sectional, findings from this investigation suggest that state dissociation may represent a risk factor that places women at increased risk for revictimization. Given the prevalence of revictimization, developing interventions to prevent revictimization among individuals with a history of CM is imperatively needed. Further, we lack knowledge of why state dissociation plays a role linking CM severity and adulthood victimization severity. Longitudinal research is needed to establish whether state dissociation accounts for the effects of CM severity on revictimization.

Item Type:	Thesis (Master)
Supervisor name:	Fereidooni, F.
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	Clinical Forensic Psychology and Victimology (FP) [Master Psychology]
Date Deposited:	09 May 2022 11:14
Last Modified:	10 Jun 2022 11:45
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/441

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