Sexual Abuse and Psychological Disorders: The Role of Cognitive Processes

Abstract

A history of sexual abuse is reported by a large proportion of women with psychological disorders. Cognitive approaches to therapy for this group aim to change the dysfunctional cognitions that are associated with abusive experiences, but often lack a clear model of the psychological processes that might be involved. This study examines the relationship between the overt cognitive correlates of sexual abuse (self-denigratory beliefs) and the covert correlates (information-processing bias). Women with psychological disorders who reported a history of sexual abuse had greater levels of self-denigratory beliefs and of information-processing bias than women who had a history of abuse but had no psychological disorder. The difference in overt self-denigratory cognitions was partly explained by the clinical women's higher level of covert information-processing bias. The information-processing bias appears to reflect a specific schema, which involves beliefs about the individual having been “contaminated” by the abusive experience. Therapeutic implications are discussed, including targets for treatment and evaluation. Further research is needed, to allow these cognitive correlates to be understood in relation to different psychological syndromes and symptoms.