Influence of Survey Methodology in Estimating Prevalence Rates of Childhood Sexual Abuse Among Navy Recruits

摘要

This report compared results from the Sailors' Health Inventory Program survey with the results of a confidential survey, the Survey of Recruit Behavior (SRB) conducted by Naval Health Research Center. Using SRB operational definitions resulted in the highest rate of 60%, while 31% of the participants self-defined themselves as abused. Despite these differences in abuse rates, data from the SHIP survey, from SRB operational definitions, and from SRB self- definitions all independently accounted for variability in participants' symptoms of posttraumatic stress syndrome. The results of this report suggest that SHIP data are useful in identifying Navy recruits who are likely to benefit from mental health services. However, it appears that the SHIP survey identifies a significantly lower percentage of people who have experienced childhood abuse. Because of this, using questions about childhood abuse as screening items to identify recruits who will have difficulty adjusting to Navy life is most likely unfeasible. Rather, if a sailor appears to be having difficulty coping, exploring the possibility of an abuse history in a confidential setting may be helpful in addressing those difficulties.