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Survivors of sexual assault (SA) and intimate partner violence (IPV) report high rates of alcohol misuse and often receive services from community agencies. We conducted a qualitative study to examine barriers and facilitators to treatment for alcohol misuse after experiences of SA/IPV among survivors (N = 13) and victim service professionals (VSPs; N = 22) at community-based agencies using semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Survivors discussed seeking treatment for alcohol misuse when alcohol is being used to cope with SA/IPV-related distress and when alcohol use becomes problematic. Survivors identified that stigma and acknowledgment of alcohol misuse are individual-level barriers and facilitators to treatment. System-level factors were also described including having access to treatment and sensitive providers. VSPs also discussed individual (e.g., stigma) and system (e.g., availability and quality of services) level barriers and facilitators to treatment for alcohol misuse. Results indicated several unique barriers and facilitators to treatment for alcohol misuse following SA/IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Military sexual trauma (MST), defined as sexual assault or repeated, threatening sexual harassment while in the military, is associated with increased risk of long-term mental and physical health problems, with the most common being symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. In addition to PTSD and depression, MST is linked to difficulties in emotion regulation as well as poor treatment engagement. Thus, it is important to examine these correlates, and how they affect postintervention symptom reduction in this vulnerable population. The current study presents secondary data analyses from a randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of in-person versus telemedicine delivery of prolonged exposure therapy for female veterans with MST-related PTSD (n = 151). Results of the study found that changes in difficulties with emotion regulation predicted postintervention depressive symptoms but not postintervention PTSD symptoms. Neither postintervention depressive nor PTSD symptoms were affected by treatment dosing (i.e., number of sessions attended) nor treatment condition (i.e., in-person vs. telemedicine). Findings from the current study provide preliminary evidence that decreases in difficulties with emotion regulation during PTSD treatment are associated with decreases in depressive symptom severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual trauma is common and increases the risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance- use disorders (SUD), and depression among Veterans. Limited research has examined the impact of sexual harassment and assault during deployment on treatment outcomes among Veterans with co- occurring PTSD and SUD. The current study examined the frequency of exposure to sexual harassment and assault during deployment as a predictor of treatment outcomes among a primarily male sample of US military Veterans diagnosed with current PTSD and SUD. A secondary analysis was performed using data from a randomized clinical trial examining the efficacy of Concurrent Treatment of PTSD and Substance Use Disorders using Prolonged Exposure (COPE) compared to Relapse Prevention (RP). Data from 69 Veterans (91.3% male) who were deployed while in the service were analyzed using mixed models to determine whether frequency of exposure to sexual harassment and assault during deployment impacted changes in PTSD symptom severity, percent days using substances, and depressive symptoms during treatment. Over one-third of the sample (36.2%) reported exposure to sexual harassment and/or assault during deployment. Frequency of exposure to sexual harassment and assault during deployment was not a predictor of treatment outcome in any of the models, suggesting a similar response to treatment among those with varying frequency of exposure to sexual harassment and assault during deployment. Veterans with co-occurring PTSD and SUD who have been exposed to sexual harassment and assault during deployment may benefit from integrated trauma-focused treatments and treatments focused on decreasing SUD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual assault is a major public health concern associated with significant mental health and medical symptoms. Follow-up screening post-sexual assault medical forensic examination (SAMFE) can be one method of determining needs and providing targeted prevention of mental health and medical symptoms among individuals who experienced a recent sexual assault. However, the factors associated with engagement in post-SAMFE follow-up screening have not been identified. The current study examined the association between intimate partner violence victimization and sexual assault–related characteristics and engagement in post-SAMFE follow-up screening. Participants were 193 individuals who received a SAMFE and indicated at the time of SAMFE that they were interested in follow-up by the hospital. It was found that individuals were less likely to engage in follow-up screening if the assault was perpetrated by an intimate partner. These findings suggest that other resources are needed to reach individuals who experience sexual assault perpetrated by an intimate partner due to the unique needs of that population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual abuse prior to age 18 may put some women at risk for engaging in sexual risk taking. This association could exist, in part, as a result of the impact of posttraumatic stress symptoms on behavioral regulation. The current study utilized a path analysis to investigate the association between severity of sexual abuse before age 18, posttraumatic stress symptoms, poor behavioral regulation, and expected engagement in sexual risk taking among college women. The sample consisted of 88 college women with experiences of sexual abuse prior to the age of 18. Severity of sexual abuse predicted posttraumatic stress symptoms. In addition, posttraumatic stress symptoms predicted poor behavioral regulation, which in turn predicted expected engagement in sexual risk taking. These findings indicate functional mechanisms involved in sexual decision making of women who have had past sexual abuse and experience posttraumatic stress symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Military veterans with histories of military sexual trauma (MST) are at risk for several negative mental health outcomes and report perceived barriers to treatment engagement. To inform interventions to promote gender‐sensitive access to MST‐related care, we conducted an exploratory, multiple‐group latent class analysis of negative beliefs about MST‐related care. Participants were U.S. veterans (N = 1,185) who screened positive for MST within the last 2 months and reported a perceived need for MST‐related treatment. Associations between class membership, mental health screenings, logistical barriers, difficulty accessing care, and unmet need for MST‐related care were also examined. Results indicated a four‐class solution, with classes categorized as (a) low barrier, with few negative beliefs; (b) high barrier, with pervasive negative beliefs; (c) stigma‐related beliefs; and (d) negative perceptions of care (NPC). Men were significantly less likely than women to fall into the low barrier class (27.9% vs. 34.5%). Relative to participants in the low barrier class, individuals in all other classes reported more scheduling, ps <.001; transportation, p <.001 to p =.014; and work‐related barriers, p <.001 to p =.031. Participants in the NPC class reported the most difficulty with access, p <.001, and those in the NPC and high barrier classes were more likely to report unmet needs compared to other classes, ps <.001. Brief cognitive and behavioral interventions, delivered in primary care settings and via telehealth, tailored to address veterans' negative mental health beliefs may increase the utilization of mental health treatment related to MST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rape myth acceptance (RMA), perceived barriers, and self-efficacy were examined as predictors of likelihood to report different types of rape to law enforcement among 409 undergraduates. Participants had lower likelihood to report incapacitated compared to physically forced rape. Men had lower reporting likelihood than women for rape perpetrated by the same and opposite sex and were more likely to perceive several barriers. RMA and perceived barriers predicted a lower likelihood to report several types of rape. Among men, higher self-efficacy predicted increased reporting likelihood. Targeting RMA and decreasing perceived barriers is imperative to increase college students' likelihood to report rape to local and campus law enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying predictors of bystander behaviors and sexual assertiveness can help to inform sexual assault prevention programs on college campuses. College sorority members ( N = 141) completed measures of sexual assault history, rape myth acceptance, bystander self-efficacy, sexual assertiveness, and bystander behaviors before attending The Women's Program, which is a bystander-based sexual assault prevention program. Regression analyses were conducted. Lower rape myth acceptance and greater bystander self-efficacy predicted more engagement in bystander behaviors and higher sexual assertiveness. A total of 28 participants completed a 2-week follow-up survey that included measures of rape myth acceptance, bystander self-efficacy, and sexual assertiveness. T-test analyses were conducted. Rape myth acceptance was significantly lower among participants at 2-week follow-up compared to baseline. Implications for sexual assault prevention on college campuses are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Affective and emotional dysregulation are consistently linked to greater alcohol use and related consequences, including risky sexual behavior. Moreover, these associations are even stronger among women with experiences of sexual assault. The current study tested affect, alexithymia, positive urgency, and negative urgency as predictors of alcohol use, alcohol-related consequences, and risky sexual behavior and the moderating impact of rape history on these associations among a sample of college women., Method: Participants were 1,005 college women between the ages of 18 and 25. Approximately 20% of the sample ( n = 204) reported a history of rape since age 14., Results: Positive and negative urgency statistically mediated the associations between negative affect and alexithymia and the alcohol and risky sex outcomes. Positive urgency was directly associated with alcohol use, while negative urgency was directly associated with alcohol-related consequences. Moreover, rape history moderated these associations, indicating that positive affect may be an important protective factor among women who have experienced rape., Conclusions: The current study identified important unique risk and protective pathways that may increase or reduce women's risk for alcohol-related consequences and risky sexual behavior. Importantly, these pathways are comprised of constructs that are malleable and modifiable and can be targeted and changed through intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).