Prior Sexual Violence, PTSD Symptoms, and Recovery Trajectories After New Trauma

Do trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom recovery differ based on history of sexual violence? In this longitudinal case-control study of 2423 patients admitted to emergency departments across the US, participants with a history of sexual violence demonstrated significantly elevated symptoms of PTSD and slower symptom recovery compared with those without a history of sexual trauma, even after controlling for earlier nonsexual trauma exposure. Findings suggest that earlier sexual violence may shape how people respond to subsequent nonsexual traumas.

Corresponding Author: Emily J. Mellen, PhD, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478 (emily.mellen@tuftsmedicine.org).

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