Factors Predicting Disrupted Versus Continuous Memory for Child Sexual Abuse

Information regarding the nature of disrupted memory for childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is limited. To increase understanding, repressive coping, dissociative tendencies, and characteristics of CSA were measured via survey in college students to determine if they predicted disrupted memory for CSA. Dissociative tendencies, but not repressive coping, predicted disrupted memory. Furthermore, repressive coping and dissociative tendencies were negatively correlated in those with disrupted memory for CSA. Characteristics of CSA loaded onto four factors: less physically intrusive CSA, significantly intrusive CSA, pornographic exploitative CSA and psychological impact of CSA. The psychological impact of CSA factor, greater number of years abused, and the ability to provided evidence of CSA, best predicted disrupted memory for CSA. Results suggest that dissociative tendencies may be a mechanism by which memories for CSA are disrupted. Furthermore, the psychological impact of CSA may be a more direct determinant than type of CSA in predicting disrupted memory for CSA