Innsbruck University Clinics, Department of Psychiatry, Austria.
Studies investigating a possible relationship between childhood
sexual abuse and adult sexual dysfunction have reported highly
discrepant results. The purpose of the present study was to examine
202 female university students for early familial experience and
childhood sexual abuse in relation to adult sexual disorders. Each
student was asked to complete three questionnaires on victimization,
sexual dysfunction, early familial experiences. Results indicated
that: (a) victims of multiple CSA more frequently reported sexual
desire disorders and orgasm disorders than did single-incident victims
and nonvictims; (b) single-incident victims and nonvictims reported no
significantly different rates for any kind of sexual dysfunction; (c)
negative early familial experiences were significantly related to any
kind of sexual disorder; and (d) women who reported orgasm disorders
more often reported an inadequate sex education than did women with
another or no sexual dysfunction. The data suggest that both family
dysfunction and sexual victimization contribute to sexual disorders in
adulthood, and that later sexual disorders are to a large extent the
result of sexual abuse-related factors in particular and family
dysfunction in general.