Effects of a Rape Experience: A Longitudinal Study

After reviewing previous work on psychological effects of a rape experience, this paper reports the results of a longitudinal investigation of victim reactions to rape. Adult victims (N = 20) were assessed at 1 month, 6 months, and 1 year postrape, and a group of matched non‐victims (N = 20) were assessed at similar intervals. Findings were that victims were significantly more anxious, fearful, suspicious, and confused than nonvictims for at least a year after their assaults. However, there was significant improvement on those as well as other measures of personality and mood state over time, particularly between 1 and 6 months. Implications of these findings with regard to both social learning and feminist theory and therapy are discussed. 1981 The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues

Duke Scholars

Author Patricia A. Resick Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Behavioral Medicine & Neur ...