The present study examined perceptions of abuse (psychological,
physical, and sexual) and later adult psychological and social
adjustment in a nonclinical sample of 173 individuals. A subgroup of
abused individuals were identified (Minimizers), who reported levels
of abuse above the mean, but failed to acknowledge themselves as
abused. Analyses of variance revealed that abused individuals, both
Acknowledgers and Minimizers, consistently had more psychological and
social adjustment problems than the Nonabused group. In addition,
individuals who fell in the Minimizing subgroup had more detrimental
outcome than the Abused (Acknowledgers) group in a few areas,
suggesting that the perception of past events (abuse) may be an
important factor in determining future psychological adjustment.