Child Psychological Abuse Sexual Attitudes and Sexual Satisfaction: An Examination of Disclosure Gender and Perpetrator Relationship Differences

The current project examined the associations between childhood psychological abuse, disclosure, and perpetrator relationship on sexual attitudes and satisfaction among adults. A total of 274 female graduate and undergraduate psychology students from Old Dominion University were recruited. Participants anonymously filled out the survey online. It was hypothesized that there would be a positive relationship between childhood psychological abuse and sexual communion and permissiveness. In terms of perpetrator relationship, it was hypothesized that as the objective relationship between the individual and perpetrator became closer, sexual attitudes and satisfaction would be more negatively affected. It was also hypothesized that one's subjective relationship with the perpetrator would moderate the relationship between the psychological abuse and sexual attitudes and behaviors. Finally, it was hypothesized that individuals who experienced higher levels of abuse who disclosed their abuse would have more instrumental attitudes about sexuality than individuals who did not disclose their abuse. It was found that childhood psychological abuse was significantly positively correlated with sexual communion and sexual practices. For participants who disclosed their abuse, a marginally negative relationship was found between psychological abuse and sexual permissiveness. For participants whose abusers were extrafamilial, a negative relationship was found between disclosure and sexual permissiveness. For participants with intrafamilial abusers, a positive relationship was found between disclosure and sexual permissiveness whereas a negative a negative relationship was revealed between disclosure and sexual communion. In addition, for participants with extrafamilial abusers, there was a marginally positive relationship between psychological abuse and sexual communion. For participants who did not disclose their abuse, a negative relationship was found between the subjective perpetrator relationship and sexual permissiveness. Finally, for participants who disclosed their abuse, a positive relationship was found between subjective relationship to perpetrator and sexual permissiveness. Findings of this study addressed the complex role of child maltreatment, disclosure, and the relationship between victim and perpetrator.