Impact of childhood sexual abuse on the emotions and behaviours of adult men from three ethnic groups in the USA

Abstract

Adult men of different ethnic backgrounds who experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA) may vary in their reports of the psychological and behavioural impact of CSA on their lives. Empirical studies rarely examine the impact of race/ethnicity or cultural context on the psychological and behavioural struggles of adult male CSA survivors. This study utilised qualitative content analysis to examine the reported CSA-related psychological and behavioural challenges of 150 U.S. men, with equal numbers of Blacks, Latinos, and non-Latino Whites. Interview data revealed some ethnic differences: Black men more frequently denied having present day adverse effects than other groups. However, Black men who did report negative consequences of CSA discussed difficulties with substance use and hyper-sexualised behaviour more often than other ethnicities. Latino men reported anger, anxiety, hyper-vigilance, flashbacks and communication problems more often than the other two groups. Black and Latino men also discussed guilt/shame issues and sexual identity concerns more often than Whites did. In contrast, White men more frequently discussed issues related to low self-esteem, loneliness and isolation. These findings suggest that ethnically diverse men may respond differently to CSA experiences and that considerations need to be taken into account when providing health care to men with CSA histories.

Psychological and behavioral moderators of the relationship between trauma severity and HIV transmission risk behavior among MSM with a history of childhood sexual abuse

“…CSA is linked to other syndemic pathways including depression, substance use, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which may develop even years later and are linked synergistically to perpetuate risk behavior (Parsons et al, 2011; Rowan & Foy, 1993; Rowan et al, 1994; Stall et al, 2003). Both CSA and PTSD are associated with a host of comorbid psychological health issues in adulthood, including substance use disorders (Banducci et al, 2014a; Suvak et al, 2012), low self-esteem (Browne & Finkelhor, 1986; Ekinci & Kandemir, 2015; Payne et al, 2014), and difficulty regulating emotions including distress intolerance (Stevens et al, 2013). CSA and related psychological and health sequelae, have also been associated with HIV-related condomless sex (Banducci et al, 2014a, b; Boroughs et al, 2015).…”

Searching for safe space: the absent presence of childhood sexual abuse in human geography

“…While exact prevalence rates may be difficult to pin down, all research into this area points towards high numbers. Studies indicate that CSA is widespread in all social classes (Phipps 2009) and ethnic groups (Payne et al 2014) …”

The Long Arm of Trauma During Childhood: Associations with Resources in Couple Relationships

“…Traumatic experiences in early life are particularly important to examine; children are disproportionally vulnerable to experience interpersonal trauma in comparison with other age groups (Bosquet Enlow, Blood, & Egeland, ). Early life trauma experiences within or outside the family of origin, including sexual and physical abuse, have been studied extensively and been found to associate with a wide variety of challenges in adulthood (Fergusson, McLeod, & Horwood, ; Hassija, Garvert, & Cloitre, ; van der Kolk, ; Payne et al., ). In recent publications summarizing the findings in this area, scholars have called for improvements in methods and theories to help better explain the mechanisms and processes through which trauma manifests itself later in life including within adult interpersonal relationships (DiLillo, ; Layne, Briggs‐King, & Courtois, ; Monson, Fredman, & Dekel, ).…”