(PS10-23) Interaction Between Age and Type of First Interpersonal Violence Exposure on PTSD Symptom Profiles

Abstract Text: Previous research has established a link between interpersonal violence (IPV) and the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, there is limited understanding of how the specific type of IPV and the age at which an individual first experiences IPV influence the subsequent PTSD symptom profiles later in life, highlighting the need for more focused research on these factors. We hypothesized that an earlier age of first IPV exposure would be a significant predictor of heightened PTSD symptom severity across all symptom clusters. Adult participants who had experienced IPV (N = 582) underwent a clinical interview conducted by a trained postbaccalaureate researcher. The interview included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and a structured trauma assessment. Participants received a total CAPS score, along with scores for each PTSD symptom cluster: intrusion (B), avoidance (C), negative cognition (D), and hyperarousal (E). Linear regression models were used to examine the effects and interactions between age at first IPV exposure, type of IPV, and CAPS scores, controlling for participant sex and current age. Individuals who experienced IPV at an earlier age had significantly higher PTSD symptom severity, t(369)= -4.26, p<.05. Similarly, among individuals who had experienced sexual assault, those who encountered it at an earlier age had significantly higher CAPS total scores t(322) = -2.97, p < .05. This relationship was also observed across all CAPS symptom clusters (all ps < .017). Among individuals who experienced all three types of IPV, a three-way interaction was found between the first age of physical assault, sexual assault, and physical abuse across both the CAPS total score and all symptom clusters (p < .05). Specifically, when individuals also experience early physical assault and abuse, sexual assault at a younger age was associated with significantly higher CAPS Total, B, C, and E cluster severity when they also experienced early physical assault and physical abuse (all ps < .046). These findings add to the growing literature on the effect of timing and type of trauma on the development of PTSD. Specifically, how early sexual assault has unique outcomes on trauma severity into adulthood. Additionally, the results indicate how the interaction of multiple types of traumas at an earlier age predicts higher symptom severity across all clusters.