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Abstract
The objective of this study is to examine the effect of recent adult sexual assault
on current eating disorder symptoms when controlling for the effects of multiple forms
of childhood abuse. A total of 489 undergraduate women completed the Eating Disorder
Examination-Questionnaire, and surveys regarding childhood abuse and sexual assault
that had occurred in the previous three months. Approximately 30% of the sample indicated
recent unwanted sexual experiences. Childhood emotional abuse contributed unique variance
to the prediction of current ED symptoms, but sexual and physical abuse did not. Recent
sexual assault contributed additional unique variance to current ED symptoms when
controlling for childhood abuse, thus both emotional abuse in childhood and sexual
assault in adulthood contributed unique variance to ED symptoms.
Published by Elsevier Ltd.