MIDAS Project Publication Abstracts
Zlotnick, C., Mattia, J.I., & Zimmerman, M. Clinical features
of survivors of sexual abuse with major depression. International
Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect, 2001, 25, 357-367.
Depressed outpatients with and without histories of childhood sexual
abuse were studied to examine differences in rates of trauma-related
disorders. Another aim of this study was to determine whether childhood
sexual abuse is a risk factor for recent suicidal attempts, affect
dysregulation and duration of index depressive episode, independent of
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder
(BPD). In a sample of 235 outpatients with major depression, patients with
sexual abuse compared to those without sexual abuse histories had higher
rates of comorbidity, primarily BPD, PTSD, and multiple axis I diagnoses.
In addition, childhood sexual abuse was associated with a longer duration
of the index depressive episode, more recent suicide attempts as well as
higher levels of affect dysregulation. Childhood sexual abuse status was
linked to a longer duration of the index depressive episode, independent
of BPD and/or PTSD. However, childhood sexual abuse status was not
independently related to affect dysregulation and suicidal attempts. The
findings suggest that patients with histories of sexual abuse represent a
subgroup of depressed patients who are at especially high risk for
psychiatric morbidity and a prolonged episode of depression.
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