Incidence of psychometric symptoms in rape victims

Abstract

Some women who have been raped experience depression, nervousness, and anxiety; neurocirculatory symptoms (Burgess & Holmstrom, 1974a; Selkin, 1978); and changes in sexual behavior and satisfaction (Becker, Abel, & Skin? ner, 1979; Burgess & Holstrom, 1974b; Feldman-Summers, Gordon, & Meagher, 1979; Gager & Schun, 1976). Also, Norris and Feldman-Summers (1981) noted that victims of rape are more Ukely to report psychosomatic symptoms foUowing the assault than they were to report suffering before the assault, and these symptoms increase as the severity of the assault increases. The psychological impact of rape can be lasting: fear, anxiety, paranoia, and phobic reactions have been reported as continuing in victims 1 year after the attack (Kilpatrick, Resick, & Veronen, 1981). Although some symptoms seem to ease substantially 3 months following the assault, after as much as 6 months foUowing the assault, victims stiU score at least one standard devia? tion above the mean for nonvictims on obsessive-compulsive behaviors, anxiety, and phobias (Kilpatrick, Veronen, & Resick, 1979). Both fearfulness (Calhoun, Atkeson, Resick, & EUis, 1982) and depression (Frank & Stewart, 1984) have been reported to decUne and stabiUze at 6-12 months postassault. Subjective ratings of Ufe events have been found to predict subsequent depressive symptomotology (Monroe, Imhoff, Wise, & Harris, 1983). Subjects were more Ukely to exhibit depressive symptoms if they perceived their previous Ufe events to be undesirable. The perception of an event, not merely the occurrence of the Ufe event itself, may influence stress levels, thereby in? fluencing somatic distress. Byrne and Whyte (1980) reported that myocardial infarct patients perceive their Ufe events as having been more emotionally distressing than patients who have not suffered myocarial infarction. In other words, the perception of the event may be more important than the event itself when related to somatic health factors. I conducted this investigation to repUcate and to extend the research con? cerning the effects of rape, with an emphasis on somatic disorders. I hypothe? sized that the frequency and severity of somatic complaints suffered by rape victims is correlated significantly with the victim's perception of the rape. Also, I anticipated that the frequency and severity of somatic complaints of