Date of Award

Spring 5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department/Program

Forensic Psychology

Language

English

First Advisor or Mentor

Elizabeth Jeglic

Second Reader

Cynthia Calkins

Third Advisor

Philip Yanos

Abstract

Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a global public health issue, with 25% of girls and 5% of boys in the U.S. reporting abuse before the age of 18. While CSA is known to increase the risk of suicidal ideation in later life, the additional psychosocial factors involved are understudied. This study investigates the impact of abuse-related shame and sexual grooming on suicidal ideation in adults with CSA histories. Data from 118 undergraduate students were analyzed using binomial logistic regression and the PROCESS macro to explore direct and indirect effects. Results show that abuse-related shame significantly predicts suicidal ideation and mediates the relationship between sexual grooming and heightened suicidal ideation. These findings underscore the importance of addressing shame and sexual grooming in therapeutic settings when working with CSA survivors and raising public awareness of the signs of sexual grooming for early detection and prevention.

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