Peritraumatic assault characteristics predict worsened obsessive-compulsive contamination symptoms in survivors of sexual trauma

Abstract

Extant research suggests there may be a relationship between sexual trauma and obsessive-compulsive (OC) contamination symptoms. Peritraumatic assault characteristics, such as physical force and peritraumatic fear, are related to more severe posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), however assault characteristics may also predict OC symptoms. Limited research suggests that assault type and peritraumatic emotions may relate to increased OC contamination symptoms, yet little is known about how victim and perpetrator demographics and other peritraumatic assault characteristics may predict OC contamination over and above PTSS. To address this gap, participants included 164 undergraduate sexual assault survivors (74.4% female, 16.5% LGBTQ, 35% non-white) who completed a cross-sectional study involving self-report measures of OC contamination symptoms, PTSS, and peritraumatic assault characteristics. Correlations were run to determine independent variables in the ordinary least squares regression predicting OC contamination symptoms. Controlling for PTSS, greater contamination severity was predicted by nonwhite victim race, greater peritraumatic closeness to perpetrator, and injury severity. Assault severity, perpetrator force, and peritraumatic fear were not significant predictors of contamination symptoms. Findings support betrayal trauma theory and highlight peritraumatic characteristics that are important to consider as potential risk factors related to the development or exacerbation of contamination symptoms.