Interpersonal trauma and sexual function and satisfaction: The mediating role of negative affect among survivors of military sexual trauma
APA Citation:
Blais, K. R., Zalta, K. A., & Livingston, S. W. (2020). Interpersonal trauma and sexual function and satisfaction: The mediating role of negative affect among survivors of military sexual trauma. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, (37)7-8, NP5517-NP5537 https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260520957693
Focus:
Mental health
Trauma
Veterans
Couples
Branch of Service:
Multiple branches
Army
Military Affiliation:
Active Duty
Veteran
Subject Affiliation:
Active duty service member
Veteran
Population:
Adulthood (18 yrs & older)
Young adulthood (18 - 29 yrs)
Thirties (30 - 39 yrs)
Middle age (40 - 64 yrs)
Methodology:
Quantitative study
Authors:
Blais, Rebecca K., Zalta, Alyson K., Livingston, Whitney S.
Abstract:
Healthy sexual function among women service members/veterans (SM/Vs) is associated with higher quality of life, lower incidence and severity of mental health diagnoses, higher relationship satisfaction, and less frequent suicidal ideation. Although trauma exposure has been established as a predictor of poor sexual function and satisfaction in women SM/Vs, no study to date has examined whether specific trauma types, such as military sexual trauma (MST), increase risk for sexual issues. Moreover, the possible mechanisms of this association have not been explored. The current study examined whether posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptom clusters mediated the association of trauma type and sexual function and satisfaction in 426 trauma-exposed women SM/Vs. Two hundred seventy participants (63.4%) identified MST as their index trauma. Path analyses demonstrated that MST was related to poorer sexual function and lower satisfaction relative to the other traumas (
Publisher/Sponsoring Organization:
SAGE
Publication Type:
Article
Author Affiliation:
Utah State University, KBR
University of California, Irvine, KZA
Utah State University, SLW
Keywords:
PTSD, sexual assault, sexuality, military sexual trauma