Date of Award

7-15-2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Alan R. King

Abstract

Much research has been conducted regarding the long-term effects of childhood maltreatment. Childhood Physical Abuse (CPA), Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA), and Observed Domestic Abuse (ODA) have been linked to a variety of negative outcomes with effect sizes typically modest in size. This research base has been difficult to interpret because of study differences in the operationalization of abuse and the varied outcome measures that have been employed from study to study. The present study was designed to elicit participant emotional (state/trait anger and anxiety) and physiological (heart rate) reactions to a public speaking stress induction task. A sample of 98 undergraduate students completed the stress induction procedure which included baseline and post-stressor measurements. Participant reactions were also linked to a number of factors assessed by the Developmental History Questionnaire (DHQ). It was hypothesized that participants reporting Childhood Physical Abuse would exhibit larger pre-post anxiety and anger responses to the laboratory stressor than control counterparts. Men reporting CPA were expected to show greater anger in response to the stressor. Women with similar histories were expected to exhibit higher levels of anxiety during the procedure. The findings did not illustrate any links between CPA (as measured by the Violent Experiences Questionnaire – Revised) and participant responses to a public speaking stressor. CPA did predict higher levels of Trait Anxiety among the participants. CPA also predicted moderate heart rate elevations from baseline to termination of the stressor. In neither case were gender differences found. Collateral analyses did indicate interesting gender differences between men and women in this study who reported being Physically Bullied and/or Verbally Teased as a youth. Women reporting this form of developmental adversity showed higher increases in State Anger across the stressor than men or counterpart control women in the analysis. Men without histories of being bullied or teased curiously showed higher anger at baseline with this negative reaction sharply dissipating from start to finish of the stressor. The implications of these findings and suggestions for future research were discussed.

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