Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Sexual Trauma and Pregnancy: A Qualitative Exploration of Women’s Dual Life Experience

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Contemporary Family Therapy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Using a qualitative methodology, we investigated the possible connection between pregnant females’ past sexual trauma experiences and current experiences of pregnancy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted during the third trimester of pregnancy with ten expectant mothers with self-reported histories of sexual trauma. Participants were asked to describe their past sexual trauma experience, current maternity experience, and any relationship or connection between these life experiences. Four dominant categories emerged: (1) Negative consequences of sexual trauma, (2) Becoming a survivor, (3) Pregnancy: A new beginning beyond sexual trauma, and (4) the Integration of sexual trauma and motherhood. In addition, subsequent themes and sub-themes that emerged as a part of these categories are reported and discussed. Participants’ descriptions offer clinical insight into both the maladaptive and adaptive dynamics that bi-directionally interplay between women’s dual life experiences of sexual trauma and pregnancy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. A pseudonym chosen by the participant has been used to protect the identity of the participant.

References

  • Acierno, R., Kilpatrick, D. G., & Resnick, H. S. (1999). Posttraumatic stress disorder: Prevalence, risk factors, and comorbidity relative to criminal victimization. In P. A. Saigh & J. D. Bremner (Eds.), Posttraumatic stress disorder: A comprehensive approach to research and treatment (pp. 44–68). New York: Allyn & Bacon.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (1987). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (3rd edn., revised). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (4th edn., text revision). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, C. T. (2001). Predictors of postpartum depression: An update. Nursing Research, 50, 275–285.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Breslau, N., Kessler, R. C., Chilcoat, H. D., Schultz, L. R., Davis, C. G., & Andreski, P. (1998). Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder in the community: The 1996 Detroit area survey of trauma. Archives of General Psychiatry, 55, 626–632.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Burt, M. R., & Katz, B. L. (1987). Dimensions of recovery from rape: Focus on growth outcomes. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 2, 57–81.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Calhoun, L. G., & Tedeschi, R. G. (1998). Posttraumatic growth: Future directions. In R. G. Tedeschi, C. L. Park, & L. G. Calhoun (Eds.), Posttraumatic growth: Positive changes in the aftermath of crisis (pp. 215–238). Mahwah, N.J: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Colaizzi, P. F. (1978). Psychological research as the phenomenologist views it. In R. S. Valle & M. King (Eds.), Existential phenomenological alternatives for psychology (pp. 48–71). New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cordova, M. J., Cunningham, L. L. C., Carlson, C. R., & Andrykowski, M. A. (2001). Posttraumatic growth following breast cancer: A controlled comparison study. Health Psychology, 20, 176–185.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Creswell, J. W. (1998). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Draucker, C. B. (1992). Counseling survivors of childhood sexual abuse. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eberhard-Gran, M., Eskild, A., Tambs, K., Samuelsen, S. O., & Opjordsmoen, S. (2002). Depression in postpartum and non-postpartum women: Prevalence and risk factors. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 106, 426–433.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Frazier, P., Conlon, A., & Glaser, T. (2001). Positive and negative life changes following sexual assault. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 69, 1048–1055.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Green, B. L. (1998). Psychological responses to disasters: Conceptualization and identification of high-risk survivors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 52, 567–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Janoff-Bulman, R. (1992). Shattered assumptions. New York: The Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Sonnega, A., Bromet, E., Hughes, M., & Nelson, C. B. (1995). Posttraumatic stress disorder in the national comorbidity survey. Archives of General Psychiatry, 52, 1048–1060.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lev-Wiesel, R., & Daphna-Tekoa, S. (2007). Prenatal posttraumatic stress symptomatology in pregnant survivors of childhood sexual abuse: A brief report. Journal of Loss and Trauma, 12, 145–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2004). Positive change following trauma and adversity: A review. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 17, 11–21.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons-Ruth, K., & Block, D. (1996). The disturbed caregiving system: Relations among childhood trauma, maternal caregiving, and infant affect and attachment. Infant Mental Health Journal, 17, 257–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMillen, C., Zuravin, S., & Rideout, G. (1995). Perceived benefits from child sexual abuse. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 63, 1037–1043.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mercer, R. T. (1986). Transition to the maternal role. In R. Mercer (Ed.), First-time mother: Experiences from teens to forties (pp. 1–30). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mercer, R. T. (2004). Becoming a mother versus maternal role attainment. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 36, 226–232.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Leary, V., & Ickovics, J. R. (1995). Resilience and thriving in response to challenge: An opportunity for a paradigm shift in women’s health. Women’s Health: Research on Gender, Behavior, and Policy, 1, 121–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Park, C. L., Cohen, L. H., & Murch, R. (1996). Assessment and prediction of stress related growth. Journal of Personality, 64, 71–105.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Powell, S., Rosner, R., Butollo, W., Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2003). Posttraumatic growth after war: A study with former refugees and displaced people in Sarajevo. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 59, 71–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, E., Grace, S., Wallington, T., & Stewart, D. E. (2004). Antenatal risk factors for postpartum depression: A synthesis of recent literature. General Hospital Psychiatry, 26, 289–295.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, L. E., Sellers, E. M., Gilbert Evans, S. E., & Romach, M. K. (2004). Mood changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period: Development of a biopsychosocial model. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 109, 457–466.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rubin, R. (1975). Maternal tasks in pregnancy. Maternal Child Nursing Journal, 4, 143–153.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schauer, M., Neuner, F., Schauer, E., & Elbert, T. (2003). Training manual for narrative exposure therapy (NET)—A short term intervention for the treatment of traumatic stress disorders in children & adults. Cupramontana, Italy: Vivo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwerdtfeger, K. L., & Nelson Goff, B. S. (2007). The intergenerational transmission of trauma: Exploring mother-fetus prenatal attachment. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 20, 39–51.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schwerdtfeger, K. L., & Nelson Goff, B. S. (2008). The effects of trauma-focused research on pregnant female participants. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 3(1), 59–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Seng, J. S., Low, L. K., Sparbel, K. J. H., & Killion, C. (2004). Abuse-related post-traumatic stress during the childbearing year. Issues and Innovations in Nursing Practice, 46, 604–613.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. V., Rosenheck, R. A., Cavaleri, M. A., Howell, H. B., Poschman, K., & Yonkers, K. A. (2006). Screening for and detection of depression, panic disorder, and PTSD in public-sector obstetric clinics. Psychiatric Services, 55, 407–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of qualitative research: Techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (1995). Trauma and transformation: Growing in the aftermath of suffering. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (1996). The posttraumatic growth inventory: Measuring the positive legacy of trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9, 455–471.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry, 15, 1–18.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tedeschi, R. G., Park, C. L., & Calhoun, L. G. (1998). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual Issues. In R. G. Tedeschi & L. G. Calhoun (Eds.), Posttraumatic Growth: Positive Changes in the Aftermath of Crisis (pp. 1–22). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyler, K. A. (2002). Social and emotional outcomes of childhood sexual abuse: A review of recent research. Aggression Violent Behavior, 7, 567.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vrana, S., & Lauterbach, D. (1994). Prevalence of traumatic events and post-traumatic psychological symptoms in a nonclinical sample of college students. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 7, 289–302.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Dr. Tom Kimball, who served as an internal auditor, Dr. Laura Bryan, who served as an external auditor for qualitative data collection and analysis within the original study, and Dr. Amanda Harrist whose suggestions and comments on initial drafts of this article were greatly appreciated. This research was funded in part by the Graduate School Summer Dissertation Research Award, Texas Tech University.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Development and Family Science, Oklahoma State University, 233 HES, Stillwater, OK, 74078, USA

    Kami L. Schwerdtfeger

  2. Family and Child Ecology, Michigan State University, 7 Human Ecology, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA

    Karen S. Wampler

Authors
  1. Kami L. Schwerdtfeger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Karen S. Wampler
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kami L. Schwerdtfeger.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schwerdtfeger, K.L., Wampler, K.S. Sexual Trauma and Pregnancy: A Qualitative Exploration of Women’s Dual Life Experience. Contemp Fam Ther 31, 100–122 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-009-9083-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10591-009-9083-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation