Mental Health Services Seeking in Sexual Assault Victims

Ullman, Sarah E.

doi:10.1300/j015v30n01_04

Cited by 127 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 98 publications

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“…Considerably more victims report telling informal sources of support about their experiences. The same pattern has been reported among both men and women in international research (Ullman, 2007;Postmus et al, 2009;Ansara and Hindin, 2010;Fanslow and Robinson, 2010;McCart et al, 2010). In accordance with this a need to talk to professionals about their victimization was expressed by some of the men in study IV, some also said that the support they received from family and friends was enough.…”

Section: The Risk Of Medicalizationsupporting

confidence: 79%

“…For example, women who have been victimized both in childhood and adulthood are found to be at a higher risk of living with low social support than are women victimized only as children, or only as adults (Schumm et al, 2006). Positive social support after trauma has been found to be associated with less somatic symptoms as well as better perceived health among female victims of sexual violence (Ullman, 2007). Likewise, among female victims of intimate partner violence, perceived high levels of social support have been associated with reporting less symptoms of depression (Coker, Smith, Thompson et al, 2002b;Mburia-Mwalili, Clements-Nolle, Lee et al, 2010), and social support has been found to be a protective factor against self-reported posttraumatic stress symptoms among adult victims of childhood abuse (Stevens et al, 2013).…”

Section: Interpersonal Violence and Symptoms Of Psychological Ill-healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of female victims of sexual violence also indicate that though help services may be helpful they may also be harmful (Ullman, 2007). For example, victim-blaming attitudes by professionals have been associated with worse PTSD symptoms after sexual violence (Campbell, Sefl, Barnes et al, 1999).…”

Section: Health Care System's Response To Victims Of Interpersonal VImentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward an integrated approach in research on interpersonal violence : Conceptual and methodological challenges

Simmons¹

2015

Linköping University Medical Dissertations

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Background: There is a growing understanding that different kinds of interpersonal violence are interrelated. Many victims report experiences of cumulative violence, i.e., being subjected to more than one kind of violent behaviour (sexual, physical, emotional) and/or violence from more than one kind of perpetrator (family members, partners, acquaintances/strangers). To gain a more comprehensive understanding of what violence entails for victims, how victims can be helped and how violence can be prevented, there is a need to learn more about the co-occurrence of violence. Also, despite strong associations repeatedly being found between exposure to violence and the reporting of different kinds of ill-health, only a minority of victims have told health care professionals about their victimization. Less is known about the process of disclosing victimization to health care professionals for men than for women.

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Section: The Risk Of Medicalizationsupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: Interpersonal Violence and Symptoms Of Psychological Ill-healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Health Care System's Response To Victims Of Interpersonal VImentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward an integrated approach in research on interpersonal violence : Conceptual and methodological challenges

Simmons¹

2015

Linköping University Medical Dissertations

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“…Based on previous research, we hypothesized that experiencing more than one assault, history of psychopathology, and history of substance abuse would be positively associated with ever seeking help (5,8,19). In regard to specific rape types, it was thought that forcible rape would be associated with increased likelihood of ever seeking help as compared to other types of rape (17).…”

Section: Nih-pa Author Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 99%

Service Utilization and Help Seeking in a National Sample of Female Rape Victims

Amstadter¹,

McCauley²,

Ruggiero³

et al. 2008

Psychiatric Services

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Objective: Many women with mental health problems do not seek help. Despite substantial research on predictors of help seeking, little is known about factors associated with help seeking in at-risk populations (e.g., rape victims). This study examines various forms of help seeking for emotional problems in relation to key variables in a national sample of female rape victims. Methods:We interviewed via telephone a representative sample of 3,001 women (aged 18-76 years). Those endorsing a lifetime history of rape were included in the present analyses (n=556). Demographic characteristics, rape history, rape characteristics, psychopathology, and substance abuse were assessed. Help seeking was assessed by asking if participants ever sought help, and if so, what type(s) of services were sought (medical professional, religious figure, or mental health professional).Results: Help seeking was endorsed by 60% of the sample. Final multivariable model showed that ever seeking help was positively associated with white race (OR=2.61), being single/divorced/ widowed (OR=2.30), and having PTSD (OR=3.45). Specific forms of help seeking revealed unique predictor sets. Conclusions:Although help seeking among rape victims was high, 40% of victims did not seek services. Odds of help seeking were generally increased by the presence of a mental health disorder. Because mental health professionals were not the only types of professionals from whom rape victims sought emotional support, education and training regarding rape and associated disorders should be available to other professionals to support provision of care. Public policy should be strengthened regarding professionals' service provision, and should include reimbursement for mental health services.A growing body of literature reveals a significant imbalance between the prevalence of mental health disorders and utilization of mental health services. The Epidemiologic Catchment Area study, conducted from 1980-1985, reported that diagnosed individuals sought past-year treatment (1) and that help-seeking was more likely to occur among individuals with sexual assault histories (2). The National Comorbidity Survey, conducted from 1990-1992, estimated that only 25% of respondents with a mental health disorder received treatment within the past year (3). The National Comorbidity Survey Replication (4), conducted between 2001-2003, estimated that 41% of diagnosed respondents received past-year treatment. Taken together, these studies suggest that increases in mental health service utilization among those with mental health disorders have occurred over the past two decades, but that levels of use among those in need of care remain low. NIH-PA Author ManuscriptA key finding of the NCS-R was that the type of disorder was associated with differential patterns of service use (4). That is, significant variability exists across populations in perceived need for treatment and it follows that determinants of help seeking may also differ by disorder. This underscores the potential va...

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“…The experience of sexual violence can have profound psychological effects on an individual. Despite this, few survivors seek professional help (Parcesepe, Martin, Pollock, & García-Moreno, 2015; Ullman, 2007). This project will identify barriers and facilitators to seeking and accessing help in the wake of a sexual assault.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Training the next generation of psychotraumatologists: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology (CONTEXT)

Vallières

Murphy

Hansen

et al. 2017

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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In this paper we present a description of the Horizon2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action funded, research and training programme CONTEXT: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology. The three objectives of the programme are put forward, each of which refers to a key component of the CONTEXT programme. First, we summarize the 12 individual research projects that will take place across three priority populations: (i) refugees and asylum seekers, (ii) first responders, and (iii) perpetrators and survivors of childhood and gender-based violence. Second, we detail the mentoring and training programme central to CONTEXT. Finally, we describe how the research, together with the training, will contribute towards better policy, guidelines, and practice within the field of psychotraumatology.

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Mental Health Services Seeking in Sexual Assault Victims

Cited by 127 publications

References 98 publications

Toward an integrated approach in research on interpersonal violence : Conceptual and methodological challenges

Toward an integrated approach in research on interpersonal violence : Conceptual and methodological challenges

Service Utilization and Help Seeking in a National Sample of Female Rape Victims

Training the next generation of psychotraumatologists: COllaborative Network for Training and EXcellence in psychoTraumatology (CONTEXT)

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