The Influence of Attachment and Social Support on Psychological Outcomes among Incarcerated Women Reporting a History of Sexual Abuse

There is a growing body of literature that suggests that psychological outcomes after enduring childhood sexual abuse are related to attachment style. Literature also suggests that effective social support and perceived quality of social support can mediate effects of child sexual abuse on attachment. However, few studies have examined these associations with childhood sexual abuse populations, and even fewer have examined the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse and outcomes among incarcerated women. To address this gap in the literature, the purpose of the present study is to examine the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse among incarcerated women and examine the influence of attachment and social support on psychological outcomes. Three hundred and thirty six women who were incarcerated at a county detention center in Southern California completed the Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) to assess exposure to childhood trauma, the Symptom Checklist (SCL-90) to determine psychological problems and symptoms, the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (IPPA) to assess perceived parent and peer attachment, and the Social Support Questionnaire. The questionnaires were administered to participants in a classroom-like setting within the detention center. Demographic data was also collected. Preliminary analysis indicates that 116 participants experienced child sexual abuse. Additionally, negative associations were found between psychological distress and perceived social support. Psychological outcomes for individuals with little social support demonstrate some consistency with previous work that highlighted the significance of perceived satisfaction with social support