(093) DESCRIPTION OF SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC, PSYCHOPATHOLOGICAL AND PAIN’S PRESENCE AND INTENSITY OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE VICTIMS IN A REFERRAL PSYCHIATRIC-MEDICAL CENTER SAMPLE: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS
Authors: Yui CH , Nisida IVV , Scanavino MDT 
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Despite extensive evidence between sexual violence trauma and chronic pain, there is lack of studies investigating its interaction from a psychosomatic-physical perspective. This study investigates physical and psychopathological interactions in sexual violence victims.

Objective

Describe the sociodemographic aspects, adverse childhood experiences, trauma related psychopathological symptoms and pain’s presence and intensity, in sexual violence victims.

Methods

The study enrolled 37 victims (men and women), aged between 14 and 50, with satisfactory cognitive level to respond to self-report inventories, without history of pain prior to the sexual violence experience and acute psychotic symptoms, seeking treatment for psychological distress due sexual violence victimization, admitted by an outpatient unit of a referral medical center, between 2020 and 2022. First, they underwent to a video call interview for screening, reception, and clarifications. Those who were eligible, after signing the consent form, underwent to “Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview” with psychiatrist, and physical assessment. Then, they responded to sociodemographic psycho-emotional and trauma related symptoms assessment, sexual violence, and pain related instruments. Statistical analyzes were performed using STATA 15.

Results

Most of participants are female (83.8%), Median age 33.4 (IQR [15;57]), Median education 12,6 (IQR [5;22]). According to table 1, the majority are victims of chronic violence (97.30%), with victimization experiences before age 13 (77.14%), between 13 and 18 years old (44.44%), and revictimization history in adulthood (29.62%). In addition to sexual abuse trauma, the most severe adverse childhood experiences found through were emotional abuse - Md16 IQR [9;22] (cutoff = 9) and emotional neglect - Md17 IQR [7;22] (cutoff = 10). This sample showed great vulnerability to another types of violence (27.7%) and difficulty in perceiving appropriate limits for intimacy (27.11%). According to table 2, they showed psychopathological symptoms of anxiety - Md20 IQR [0,40] (cutoff = 8), depression - Md22 IQR [0;42] (cutoff =10), stress - Md22 IQR [0, 42] (cutoff = 15). 28 (75.68%) participants reached the cutoff point for posttraumatic stress disorder. 22 participants showed light/moderate (61.11%), and 14 participants showed severe/extreme (38.89%) levels of difficulties in emotion regulation. According to table 3, pain is present for 34 (91.9%) of victims, average pain’s intensity - Md22 IQR [15; 27]). Through palpatory exploration, the pain founded was mainly localized in pelvic and respiratory muscles: psoas-R (75%), psoas-L (70.3%), iliac-R (45.9%), iliac-L (59.4%), diaphragm-R (56.8%) and diaphragm-L (51.3%).

Conclusions

This study described high frequency of pain presence-intensity, in sexual violence victims in childhood–adolescence lifetime, in our sample, especially in pelvic and diaphragm muscles. These findings of physical alterations in sexual violence victims should encourage further evaluations by physiotherapists and clinicians in collaboration with mental health team. As research implications, studies involving articulations of psychic and physical phenomena in response to traumatic situations are extremely necessary. More observational and interventional studies may improve therapeutic resources for this segment.

Disclosure

No.