Psychological distress associated with interpersonal violence: A meta-analysis

doi:10.1016/0272-7358(95)00004-9

Clinical Psychology Review

Volume 15, Issue 2, 1995, Pages 115-140

https://doi.org/10.1016/0272-7358(95)00004-9 Get rights and content

Abstract

The present meta-analytic review examined the relationship between interpersonal violence and psychological distress, utilizing 50 published or prepublication empirical studies. Studies were included in the review if they quantified psychological distress following childhood sexual or physical abuse, rape, criminal assault, or partner (domestic) physical abuse or rape. The overall effect size, though heterogeneous, was clinically and practically significant, demonstrating empirically that interpersonal violence has deleterious effects on psychological functioning. Within victimized groups, specific objective and subjective stressor-related factors were examined for the magnitude of their effect on resulting psychological distress. Subjective factors, such as general appraisal, self-blame, and perceived life threat, contributed twice as much to the magnitude of psychological distess as did objective factors, such as physical injury, force, and use of a weapon. Generally, psychological distress in the domains of intra- and interpersonal functioning emerged as theoretically and clinically important avenues for further research.

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Psychological distress associated with interpersonal violence: A meta-analysis

Abstract

Child Abuse & Neglect

Behavior Therapy

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

Psychiatric Clinics of North America

Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders

Relative contribution of specific and nonspecific treatment effects: Metaanalysis of placebo-controlled behavior therapy research

Psychological Bulletin

Methodological issues in the study of sexual abuse effects

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Symptomatology in men who were molested as children: A comparison study

American Journal of Orthopsychiatry

Post sexual abuse trauma: Data and implications for clinical practice

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research

Psychological Bulletin

Rape trauma syndrome

American Journal of Psychiatry

Victims of violence and psychiatric illness

American Journal of Psychiatry

Dissociative symptoms in relation to childhood physical and sexual abuse

American Journal of Psychiatry

The developmental psychopathology of child maltreatment

The effects of sexual abuse on children

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Healing the incest wound

Dissociative symptoms among female crime victims

Post-traumatic stress in sexually abused, physically abused, and nonabused children

Child Abuse & Neglect

Early and long-term effects of child sexual abuse: An update

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice

Children from sexually abusive families: A behavioral comparison

Journal of Interpersonal Violence

Meta-analysis in social research

Long-term effects of sexual victimization in childhood: An attributional approach

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Identifying survivors at risk: Long-term impairment following the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire

Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology

Defining trauma: Terminology and generic Stressor dimensions

Journal of Applied Social Psychology