The Association Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Somatic Symptoms at Midlife: The Roles of Depression and Intimate Partner Relationship Quality

Purpose: Childhood sexual abuse is a risk factor for somatic symptoms during adulthood. Mechanisms linking childhood sexual abuse to somatic symptoms are not well known, nor are moderators that buffer the influence of abuse. Methods: The present study utilized path analyses to explore among a sample of middle-aged adults (N = 264) whether childhood sexual abuse was positively associated with somatic symptoms, the mechanistic role of depression, and the buffering role of intimate partner relationship quality. Results: Among the full sample and those with lower intimate partner relationship quality, there was a significant, positive indirect effect of childhood sexual abuse on somatic symptom severity via depression. Among those with high intimate partner relationship quality there was neither a direct nor indirect effect of childhood sexual abuse on somatic symptom severity. Conclusions: Depression may serve as a mechanism in the transmission of risk from childhood sexual abuse to somatic symptoms at midlife, whereas intimate partner relationship quality may serve as a protective factor.