The Cumulative Impact of Sexual Revictimization on Emotion Regulation Difficulties: An Examination of Female Inmates

Authors

Kate Walsh, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
David K. DiLillo, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Mario J. Scalora, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

ORCID IDs

Mario J. Scalora

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

8-2011

Citation

Published in final edited form as: Violence Against Women. 2011 August ; 17(8): 1103–1118. doi:10.1177/1077801211414165.

Comments

Published by SAGE Publications. Used by permission.

Abstract

The present study examined associations between child sexual abuse (CSA), adult sexual victimization, and emotion regulation difficulties in a sample of 168 incarcerated women. Approximately 50% of the participants reported CSA, 54% reported adult sexual victimization, and 38% reported sexual revictimization (i.e., CSA and adult victimization). Revictimized women reported significantly greater difficulties with several facets of emotion regulation when compared to singly victimized and nonvictimized women. Interestingly, singly victimized women did not demonstrate greater emotion regulation deficits when compared to nonvictims. Findings suggest that the negative impact of victimization experiences on adult emotion regulation abilities may be cumulative. Furthermore, they highlight the potential importance of assessing and targeting emotion regulation difficulties among child abuse and adult sexual victimization survivors.