Adult Reports of Child and Adult Attributions of Blame for Childhood Sexual Abuse: Predicting Adult Adjustment and Suicidal Behaviors in Females

The aim of this study was to determine whether reports made by adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse about attributions of blame made during childhood and adulthood are predicitive of overall adulthood syptomatology and presence of suicide attempts. 126 female survivors of childhood sexual abuse completed anonymous survey packages which included a modified version of the Attributional Style Questionnaire, the Trauma Symptom CHecklist-40, and questions regarding demographics and abuse characteristics. Results revealed that participants reporting abuse by an immediate family member and abuse before 10 years of age tended to report having made internal attributions of blame when they were children. In addition, these attributions were significantly predictive of overall adulthood symptomatology, as well as presence of suicide attempts. (32 refs)