Sexual Assault Disclosure in Relation to Adolescent Mental Health: Results from the National Survey of Adolescents

• Published in: Journal of clinical child and adolescent psychology 2007-04, Vol.36 (2), p.260-266
• Main Authors: Broman-Fulks, Joshua J., Ruggiero, Kenneth J., Hanson, Rochelle F., Smith, Daniel W., Resnick, Heidi S., Kilpatrick, Dean G., Saunders, Benjamin E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Adolescent; Adolescents; Behavioural problems; Child; Child Abuse, Sexual - psychology; Child Abuse, Sexual - statistics & numerical data; Cross-Sectional Studies; Delinquency; Depression (Psychology); Depressive Disorder, Major - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder, Major - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder, Major - psychology; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Juvenile Delinquency - psychology; Juvenile Delinquency - statistics & numerical data; Male; Mental Disorders - diagnosis; Mental Disorders - epidemiology; Mental Disorders - psychology; Mental Health; Mothers; Parent Child Relationship; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Rape - psychology; Rape - statistics & numerical data; Risk; Risk factors; Self Disclosure; Self Disclosure (Individuals); Sexual Abuse; Sexual assault; Statistics as Topic; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Substance Abuse; Substance-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Surveys
• ISSN: 1537-4416; 1537-4424
• DOI: 10.1080/15374410701279701

Child sexual assault is a risk factor for a wide range of emotional and behavioral problems. Little is known about mental health functioning in relation to victims' decisions to tell someone (or not) about their assault. This study used data from a nationally representative sample of 4,023 adolescents to examine the relation between sexual assault disclosure characteristics and mental health outcomes. Results indicated that youth who disclosed the assault to someone within 1 month were at reduced risk for current major depressive episode (MDE) and delinquency. No relation was found between disclosure latency and risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or substance use problems. Notably, disclosure to mothers was associated with significantly reduced risk for current PTSD and delinquency.