Jessica Latack

Type

Text

Type

Dissertation

Advisor

Davila, Joanne.

Date

2017-08-01

Keywords

neural response | Psychology | sexual victimization

Department

Department of Clinical Psychology.

Language

en_US

Source

This work is sponsored by the Stony Brook University Graduate School in compliance with the requirements for completion of degree

Identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/11401/78157

Publisher

The Graduate School, Stony Brook University: Stony Brook, NY.

Format

application/pdf

Abstract

Research has consistently demonstrated that women with histories of sexual victimization (SV) are at increased risk for numerous negative mental and physical health outcomes, including alcohol misuse and sexual risk behavior, both of which increase risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unwanted pregnancies, and sexual re-victimization. Although the association between SV and risk behavior is well-documented, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Given its role as both a risk factor and consequence of SV, alcohol consumption among women with SV histories is important to understand. Identifying which women with histories of SV are at greatest risk for future alcohol misuse and sexual risk behavior is imperative for designing targeted interventions. The identification of neural biomarkers would be an important initial step toward this goal. The current study had four main aims: (1) to compare neural activation to sexual stimuli between women with and without histories of SV (2) to examine the effects of an alcohol context on attentional bias and neural response to sexual stimuli; (3) to examine the association between neural response and alcohol consumption among women with SV histories; and (4) to examine the association between neural response and sexual risk behavior among women with histories of SV. A sample of 68 undergraduate women (46 SV+) completed the current study. In general, neural response to sexual images differed between women with and without histories of SV. The effect of context was an important factor, such that an alcohol context potentiated attention and neural response to sexual images for SV+ women only. Further, associations were identified between neural response and risk behavior, however these associations were partially explained by the impact of secondary mental health symptoms. Findings underscore the association between SV and risk behavior, and the role of alcohol in conferring additional risk. | 110 pages

Download

Share

COinS