On May 24, Kimberly presented at the Association for Psychological Science (APS) convention in San Francisco. She discussed the results of a study that focused on identifying the characteristics of childhood sexual abuse that predict adult post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Her work was part of a larger research project for which she was the lead researcher. The study was conducted in Dr. Kristine Jacquin’s clinical forensic neuropsychology lab at Fielding Graduate University.  It was originally conceived through Kimberly’s observations  of certain patients over the past decade.These patients came to her for counseling and sex therapy to help resolve sexual issues  that stemmed from varying degrees of childhood abuse and neglect.

In her remarks, Kimberly mentioned some statistics that give a sense of the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse and PTSD. Childhood maltreatment, including physical and emotional neglect as well as sexual, physical and emotional abuse, occurs in 20% to 48% of children, while childhood sexual abuse (CSA) occurs in 24% of children (1,2). The prevalence of PTSD across the lifespan ranges from 6.1% to 9.2% in the United States (3). Research has shown that there is an established relationship between childhood sexual abuse and PTSD (4,5). 

Kimberly’s research was aimed at understanding the specific types and characteristics of childhood sexual abuse that predict PTSD in order to provide a better foundation for studying the neurobiological factors in the relationship between the two. Previous research has shown  that neurobiology may hold the answers.6 Much of the existing research on childhood sexual abuse doesn’t specify the characteristics of abuse - for example, the age of onset, how long it occurred, or the relationship of the perpetrator to the victim. However, the degree of occurance childhood abuse and neglect has been shown to have a range of impacts on the neurobiology of the stress response system (7,8). 

The study led by Kimberly and her team revealed a strong relationship between the different types of sexual abuse experienced during childhood and PTSD symptoms during adulthood. Each type of childhood sexual abuse was associated with a significantly higher rate of PTSD symptoms when compared to the absence of that type of childhood sexual abuse. The most common type of CSA was fondling or touching breasts or private parts, so the research looked at attributes of this type of abuse as related to PTSD symptoms. Duration of abuse was significantly related to PTSD symptoms, with the highest rates of PTSD associated with abuse duration of more than 2 years. Similarly, more frequent abuse was related to PTSD, with daily abuse associated with higher rates of the disorder. Number of abusers, amount of force, and relationship to the abuser were predictors of PTSD, but age of onset was not.

Consistent with expectations, all types of childhood sexual abuse were associated with a higher rate of PTSD symptoms. Factors such as fondling or touching breasts or private parts in greater severity, duration, frequency, the number of abusers, amount of force, and closer relationship to the abuser predicted more PTSD symptoms. However, the age of the child when the abuse started happeningwas not associated with the disorder’s severity. Results imply that the severity and certain characteristics of this kind of abuse impact the development of PTSD. They also provide specific variables to further investigate the developmental neurobiology of childhood sexual abuse.

To learn more about this study’s results or Kimberly’s previous research,, please visit her ResearchGate page. 

If you are a victim of childhood abuse or neglect, please know that many resources are available to support you in your recovery. Reach out to Kimberly to get help, support, /andor resources today.    

1 Pan, Y., Lin, X., Liu, J., Zhang, S., Zeng, X., Chen, F., & Wu, J. (2021). Prevalence of childhood sexual abuse among women using the childhood trauma questionnaire: A worldwide meta-analysis. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 22(5), 1181-1191. https://doi.org/10.1177/1524838020912867

2 Saunders, B. E., & Adams, Z. W. (2014). Epidemiology of traumatic experiences in childhood. Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 23(2), 167-184. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chc.2013.12.003

3 Perrin, M., Vandeleur, C. L., Castelao, E., Rothen, S., Glaus, J., Vollenweider, P., & Preisig, M. (2014). Determinants of the development of post-traumatic stress disorder, in the general population. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology: The International Journal for Research in Social and Genetic Epidemiology and Mental Health Services, 49(3), 447-457. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-013-0762-3

4 Elklit, A., & Christiansen, D. M. (2010). ASD and PTSD in rape victims. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 25(8), 1470-1488. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260509354587

5 Kratzer, L., Heinz, P., Schennach, R., Knefel, M., Schiepek, G., Biedermann, S. V., & Büttner, M. (2020). Sexual symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse: A network analysis. Psychological Medicine, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291720001750  

6 Holochwost, S. J., Wang, G., Kolacz, J., Mills-Koonce, W., Klika, J. B., & Jaffee, S. R. (2021). The neurophysiological embedding of child maltreatment. Development and Psychopathology, 33(3), 1107-1137. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579420000383

7 Del Giudice, M., Hinnant, J. B., Ellis, B. J., & El-Sheikh, M. (2012). Adaptive patterns of stress responsivity: A preliminary investigation. Developmental Psychology, 48(3), 775-790. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0026519

8 Del Giudice, M., Ellis, B. J., & Shirtcliff, E. A. (2011). The adaptive calibration model of stress responsivity. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 35(7), 1562-1592. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.11.007