Date of Conferral

2021

Degree

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.)

School

Psychology

Advisor

John E. Deaton

Abstract

People who have experienced trauma, such as sexual assault, are more likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Women are twice as likely to develop PTSD from a traumatic event than men, especially from a sexual assault. Alcohol abuse is associated with more cases of and more severity of PTSD symptoms. Intimate partner violence can strongly contribute to or worsen the symptoms of PTSD. The research questions examined the relationship between sexual assault (SA) and the subsequent development of (PTSD, SA and the presence of alcohol dependence/addiction and the subsequent development of PTSD, and SA) and the presence of intimate partner violence and the subsequent development of PTSD. A quantitative random-effects model meta-analysis was conducted. This was completed doing thorough searches for suitable articles and were done using multiple databases and search terms. There were seven, six, and four final articles chosen for each research questions, respectively. The results showed all the articles for all the research questions, except for two, showed statistical significance. The weighted mean effect sizes, which are the backbone of a meta-analysis, showed strong effects for two out of three research questions. The overall conclusion of this meta-analysis showed that there should be continuing research in these areas and beyond. These results could be used to help the populations addressed in this study and others, which also helps create positive social change.

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