Thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University. Available for loan from the Turitea Campous library.

This study examined the long-term impact of childhood sexual abuse on mental and physical functioning, as well as the potentially mediating effects of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology in a community sample of 964 New Zealand women. In total, 63% of women surveyed reported experiencing a traumatic event in their lifetime, of which 16 experienced childhood sexual abuse only, and 114 experienced multiple types of traumatic events, including childhood sexual abuse. Measures of physical health symptoms, chronic health, and health care use were used to assess current physical health functioning. Significantly higher levels of PTSD symptomatology and psychological distress were found among women with histories of childhood sexual abuse in comparison to nontraumatised women. Findings indicate that the main effects of traumatic experiences involving childhood sexual abuse on psychological distress and physical health symptoms were partially mediated by PTSD symptomatology. In conclusion, traumatic experiences involving childhood sexual abuse can negatively impact on the current mental and physical health functioning of women. However, a higher risk of adverse outcomes is associated with several childhood sexual abuse factors. These findings indicate the importance of ensuring the development and provision of services aimed at preventing and ameliorating the impact of exposure; the need to comprehensively assess survivors in both clinical and health care settings; and the utility of further research examining factors which may influence individual variability in adaptation, as well as subsequent trauma exposure.--AUTHOR'S ABSTRACT

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