Social Reactions, Coping Strategies, and Self-Blame Attributions in Adjustment to Sexual Assault
Abstract
The present study investigated the impact of social reactions of others to sexual-assault victims on disclosure of their victimization. A convenience sample of adult sexual-assault victims ( N = 155) completed a mail survey in which they reported information about their sexual assaults and postassault experiences. As expected, all negative social reactions were strongly associated with increased psychological symptoms, whereas most positive social reactions were unrelated to adjustment. The only social reactions related to better adjustment were being believed and being listened to by others. Victims experiencing negative social reactions also reported poorer adjustment even when other variables known to affect psychological recovery were controlled. Avoidance coping mediated the association of negative social reactions with adjustment. Implications of these findings for research and treatment of sexual-assault survivors are discussed.
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Being believed and listened to when disclosing sexual assault is associated with better adjustment in post-sexual-assault healing.
“Being believed and listened to when disclosing SA is associated with better adjustment in post-SA-healing (Ullman, 1996).”
From “Having One Person Tell Me I Didn’t Do the Wrong Thing”: The Impact of Support on the Post-Sexual Assault Exam Experience (2024) · cites this paper as Ullman, 1996
Lack of access to supportive resources can hinder further help-seeking and is associated with more psychological symptoms and less control over recovery.
“Lack of access to supportive resources can hinder further help-seeking (Liang et al., 2005) and is associated with more psychological symptoms and less control over recovery (Ullman, 1996).”
From “Having One Person Tell Me I Didn’t Do the Wrong Thing”: The Impact of Support on the Post-Sexual Assault Exam Experience (2024) · cites this paper as Ullman, 1996
Feeling validated and supported following disclosure is associated with better mental health outcomes.
“Providing opportunities for individuals who experience a SA to receive supportive reactions following a SA disclosure is critical as feeling validated and supported following disclosure is associated with better mental health outcomes (Ullman, 1996).”
From “Having One Person Tell Me I Didn’t Do the Wrong Thing”: The Impact of Support on the Post-Sexual Assault Exam Experience (2024) · cites this paper as Ullman, 1996
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References 57 · Cited by 380
- Authors
- Ullman, S. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Illinois Chicago (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ullman, Sarah E.
- ORCID
- Ullman, Sarah E.
- Venue
- Psychology of Women Quarterly
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 1996-12
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 505-526
- ISSN
- 0361-6843 (ISSN-L)
- 1471-6402
- OpenAlex
- W2088372423
- Cited by
- 380
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 18 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 22 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 11.66
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychology of Women Quarterly (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
- Keywords
- sexual assault, sexual assault survivors, social reactions, coping strategies, self-blame, adjustment, disclosure of victimization, psychological symptoms, avoidance coping, psychological recovery
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