The proposed project aims at investigating the reaction of rape victims during the three month period following the assault, in order to elucidate the exact patterns of recovery from the traumatic experience and to identify predictors associated with level of recovery. The project also aims at investigating the relative efficacy of three treatment programs for victims who fail to show substantial reduction of rape related symptoms 3 months to 1 year after the rape. Three treatment programs, prolonged exposure, stress innoculation, training and supportive counseling, will be compared to one another and to a wait-list control condition. Predictors for success and failure following these treatments will be explored. To pursue these aims, two studies which will be conducted in parallel are proposed. The first will include frequent assessment of rape-related behavioral, self-report and physiological responses occurring during the 3 month period post-rape. To this end, 150 victims raped within 10 days of the first interview will be assessed weekly for 12 weeks. An index of distress will be calculated by combining scores on several symptom measures and will be used in the investigation of variables predictive of recovery. The second study will employ a similar broad range of measures to evaluate treatment for persistent rape-related symptoms. Sixty rape victims who show substantial rape-related disturbance will be randomly assigned to one of the three active treatment (14 ninety-minute sessions held biweekly over 7 weeks) or to a wait list control. Assessment of treatment outcome will occur before treatment, at mid and post-treatment and at follow-ups of 3, 6 and 12 months. The mid-treatment assessment is included in order to examine the relative efficiency of the three active treatments.
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