Alternate Title

Female survivors of adult sexual violence

Advisor(s)

Tracy L. Robinson

Contributor(s)

Mary B. Ballou (1949-), Chieh Li

Date of Award

2010

Date Accepted

1-2010

Degree Grantor

Northeastern University

Degree Level

Ph.D.

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department or Academic Unit

Bouvé College of Health Sciences. Department of Counseling and Applied Educational Psychology.

Keywords

adulthood sexual violence, coping strategies, Feminist Ecological Model, multi-racial women, traumatic symptoms

Subject Categories

Adjustment (Psychology)--Case studies, Sexual abuse victims--Case studies, Abused women--Clothing--Case studies, Abused women--Physiology

Disciplines

Counseling Psychology

Abstract

This exploratory study utilized a concurrent triangulation mixed-method approach to explore changes in physical appearance as a coping strategy in Caucasian women and Women of Color survivors of adulthood sexual assault. Recruited through posted advertisements and snowball effects, the sample consisted of 23 Caucasian women and 50 Women of Color, between the ages of 21 and 65, who had experience at least one incident of sexual assault or rape in adulthood. Standardized instruments included the Ways of Coping Questionnaire-Short Version, the Traumatic Symptom Checklist-40, and the Appearance Schema Inventory-Revised. Results from one-way ANOVA showed significant differences among traumatic symptoms and coping strategies between Caucasian women and Women of Color. Qualitative results revealed changes in physical appearance and dress among Caucasian women and Women of Color as coping strategies in the wake of sexual violence.

Document Type

Dissertation

Rights Holder

Agnes A. Martin


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