Sexual symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse: a network analysis
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Sexual symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse: a network analysis. / Kratzer, Leonhard; Heinz, Peter; Schennach, Rebecca; Knefel, Matthias; Schiepek, Günter; Biedermann, Sarah V; Büttner, Melanie.
in: PSYCHOL MED, Jahrgang 52, Nr. 1, 01.01.2022, S. 90-101.Publikationen: SCORING: Beitrag in Fachzeitschrift/Zeitung › SCORING: Zeitschriftenaufsatz › Forschung › Begutachtung
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T1 - Sexual symptoms in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse: a network analysis
AU - Kratzer, Leonhard
AU - Heinz, Peter
AU - Schennach, Rebecca
AU - Knefel, Matthias
AU - Schiepek, Günter
AU - Biedermann, Sarah V
AU - Büttner, Melanie
PY - 2022/1/1
Y1 - 2022/1/1
N2 - BACKGROUND: Even though recent research indicates that sexual symptoms are highly prevalent in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse and cause severe distress, current treatments neither address them nor are they effective in reducing them. This might be due to a lack of understanding of sexual symptoms' specific role in the often complex and comorbid psychopathology of post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood abuse.METHODS: Post-traumatic, dissociative, depressive, and sexual symptoms were assessed in 445 inpatients with post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse. Comorbidity structure was analyzed using a partial correlation network with regularization.RESULTS: A total of 360 patients (81%) reported difficulties engaging in sexual activities and 102 patients (23%) reported to suffer from their sexual preferences. Difficulties engaging in sexual activities were linked to depressive and hyperarousal symptoms, whereas sexual preferences causing distress were linked to anger and dissociation. Dissociative amnesia, visual intrusions, and physical reactions to trauma reminders were of central importance for the network. Dissociative amnesia, depressed mood, lack of energy, and difficulties engaging in sexual activities were identified as bridge symptoms. Local clustering analysis indicated the non-redundancy of sexual symptoms.CONCLUSIONS: Sexual symptoms are highly prevalent in survivors of childhood sexual abuse with post-traumatic stress disorder. Further research is needed regarding the link of difficulties engaging in sexual activities, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as regarding the association of dissociation and sexual preferences causing distress. Sexual symptoms require consideration in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse.
AB - BACKGROUND: Even though recent research indicates that sexual symptoms are highly prevalent in post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse and cause severe distress, current treatments neither address them nor are they effective in reducing them. This might be due to a lack of understanding of sexual symptoms' specific role in the often complex and comorbid psychopathology of post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood abuse.METHODS: Post-traumatic, dissociative, depressive, and sexual symptoms were assessed in 445 inpatients with post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse. Comorbidity structure was analyzed using a partial correlation network with regularization.RESULTS: A total of 360 patients (81%) reported difficulties engaging in sexual activities and 102 patients (23%) reported to suffer from their sexual preferences. Difficulties engaging in sexual activities were linked to depressive and hyperarousal symptoms, whereas sexual preferences causing distress were linked to anger and dissociation. Dissociative amnesia, visual intrusions, and physical reactions to trauma reminders were of central importance for the network. Dissociative amnesia, depressed mood, lack of energy, and difficulties engaging in sexual activities were identified as bridge symptoms. Local clustering analysis indicated the non-redundancy of sexual symptoms.CONCLUSIONS: Sexual symptoms are highly prevalent in survivors of childhood sexual abuse with post-traumatic stress disorder. Further research is needed regarding the link of difficulties engaging in sexual activities, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as regarding the association of dissociation and sexual preferences causing distress. Sexual symptoms require consideration in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder following childhood sexual abuse.
U2 - 10.1017/S0033291720001750
DO - 10.1017/S0033291720001750
M3 - SCORING: Journal article
C2 - 32517829
VL - 52
SP - 90
EP - 101
JO - PSYCHOL MED
JF - PSYCHOL MED
SN - 0033-2917
IS - 1
ER -