College Students’ Perceptions of Peers’ Disclosures of Histories of Child Sexual Abuse

Abstract

We used an analogue experimental method to assess how undergraduate students from two universities in the southwestern United States (n=241) would perceive same gender peers disclosing a history of sexual abuse in childhood (CSA), in comparison to those disclosing a death of their mother or of a pet. Consistent with hypotheses, males perceived a peer disclosing CSA less positively than peers disclosing the other two histories. Women's perceptions were less globally negative, with anticipations that peers disclosing CSA would have poorer health and interpersonal adjustment, but strengths in coping and likeability. We also examined participants' expectations of how a peer would evaluate their own self description, finding gender differences and differences based upon personal history of CSA.

Perceptions of Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors: Development and Initial Validation of a New Scale to Measure Stereotypes of Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

“…Researchers are increasingly emphasizing the need to integrate the literatures on long-term effects of CSA, stereotyping, labeling, and other biases in person perception (Harter et al 2009;Holguin & Hansen, 2003). Harter and colleagues (2009) Wagner, 1988), stereotyping has rarely been studied directly for perceptions regarding CSA survivors.…”

“…Researchers are increasingly pointing to the detrimental effects of labeling and stereotyping processes on the social and interpersonal functioning of adult CSA survivors. Harter, Harter, Atkinson, and Reynolds (2009) suggest it is important to study CSA stereotyping processes to understand and address the effects of stigmatization on CSA survivors' decision to disclose, their current functioning and relationships, and their self-perceptions. Yet there are no valid and reliable instruments available that specifically assess people's stereotypes of CSA survivors.…”

(Re)negotiating realities : gender- and age-related factors associated wtih older trauma survivors' disclosure and help-seeking

“…Moreover, in the face of such pervasive attitudes toward male victims, when men do come forward, they may have their experiences minimized, which can lead to further feelings of betrayal. Men's feelings of being perceived as "less than" may not be completely unfounded given recent findings that, relative to female university students, male students evaluated men who disclosed a history of child sexual abuse more negatively and judged male survivors of child sexual abuse as less likeable and less competent in therapeutic and work roles (Harter, Harter, Atkinson, & Reynolds, 2009).…”