The impact of informal social support on symptoms of PTSD in female survivors of sexual assault AND How do the police and women with learning disabilities co-construct sexual assault during police investigative interviews?

Hedges, Lucy Ella (2015). The impact of informal social support on symptoms of PTSD in female survivors of sexual assault AND How do the police and women with learning disabilities co-construct sexual assault during police investigative interviews? University of Birmingham. Clin.Psy.D.

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Abstract

The first paper is a systematic review of the impact of informal social support on symptoms of PTSD in female survivors of sexual assault. Thirteen studies were identified and reviewed against quality criteria. The findings suggest that negative and positive social support from informal sources of support differs as to its effects on PTSD symptom severity. Specifically, negative social support was found to increase symptoms of PTSD, whilst positive social support may play a buffering role for some survivors. However, positive social support did not appear to buffer against the more detrimental impact of negative social support on symptoms of PTSD.
The second paper explored how police and women with learning disabilities co-construct sexual assault during police investigative interviews. Six closed and archived investigative interviews were identified and analysed using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis. Analysis observed a central pattern of discourse around fault and blame which was drawn on my both survivors and officers in constructing sexual assault. The analysis highlights opportunities for further police training in identifying and questioning adults who report a sexual assault who also have a learning disability.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Clin.Psy.D.

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