Childhood Sexual Abuse and Couple Relationships: A Grounded Theory on Healing

Abstract

Adult survivors of childhood sexual trauma often report higher levels of marital dissolution, less sexual satisfaction, and higher rates of divorce. When it comes to childhood sexual abuse, the trauma often occurs with a known and trusted individual, inevitably connecting the experience of trauma to interpersonal relationships that carry implications for the survivor’s intimate partnership. This study developed a grounded theory of how partners help or hinder healing in couple relationships, when one partner has experienced childhood sexual abuse. The results describe a process model of change hinging on factors that contribute to healing and factors that hinder healing.