Sexual Assault,Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms,and Indices of Aggression Among Women

Sexual assault is associated with many adverse outcomes, including a higher risk for developing posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Although nonsexual trauma exposure has been linked to aggression, the associations between sexual assault and aggression are understudied. Further, the DSM-5 conceptualization of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) includes a symptom related to aggression, and associations between symptom clusters and aggression with regard to the new criteria are underexplored. The present study aimed to (a) examine the relations between sexual assault and indices of aggression (i.e., physical/verbal aggression, anger, and hostility) after accounting for PTSS and (b) investigate PTSD symptom clusters in relation to aggression among 263 women (M_age = 29.03 years, SD = 11.71; 67.6% white). Path analysis revealed that sexual assault was unrelated to indices of aggression, βs = .003–.08; however, PTSS was consistently linked with increased aggression, βs = .22–.49. Results indicated specificity in the associations between the symptom clusters and aspects of aggression. Negative alterations in cognitions and mood corresponded with increased physical aggression, β = .28, and hostility, β = .38, and avoidance was related to verbal aggression, β = .19. Hyperarousal was also tied to higher levels of anger, hostility, and verbal aggression, βs = .21–.33. Nonetheless, lower levels of intrusion symptoms were associated with increased anger and hostility, β = -.26. With regard to understanding women's risk for aggression, PTSS may be more relevant than sexual assault. Further, there may be specificity related to the type of PTSD symptoms and aspects of aggression.