• Anxiety and mood
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2019

Objective : This study aims to investigate the relationship between negative sexual experience and psychiatric symptoms by gender and compare the effects of sexual assault and unwanted sexual experiences on psychiatric symptoms in patients with depression or anxiety disorders. Methods : A total of 204 respondents who have had negative sexual experiences of outpatients diagnosed with depression or anxiety disorders were evaluated with AUDIT, PSS, STAI, BDI, and SSI. Independent samples t-test was performed to compare the psychiatric symptom scale scores between male and female and identify the difference of the psychiatric symptom scale scores between those who have had sexual assault and those who have had only unwanted sexual experience. Results : There was no difference in psychiatric symptom scale scores except for AUDIT between male and female in 204 patients with negative sexual experience. There was also no significant difference in AUDIT, PSS, and STAI scores between those who experienced sexual assault and those who experienced only unwanted sexual experiences. BDI and SSI scores are significant higher in those who experienced sexual assault than those who experienced only unwanted sexual experiences. Conclusion : This suggests that male and female may have similar levels of psychiatric symptoms after experiencing negative sexual experiences. Psychiatric symptoms caused by sexual assault may have differences from the psychiatric symptoms caused by unwanted sexual experience. Understanding the differences in psychiatric symptoms according to the type of negative sexual experience may helpful to direct the therapeutic plans.