Publication Date

2015

Document Type

Dissertation

Committee Members

Julie Williams (Committee Chair)

Degree Name

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Abstract

Information about women with disabilities who have been sexually assaulted is vastly missing from psychological research and literature. This gap in literature is very concerning as more information is needed to ensure that women with disabilities are receiving care, and that prevention and care giving programs are tailored to meet their needs. Women with disabilities encounter unique sexual assault experiences that at times go unnoticed because their experiences are not often discussed in the literature, nor are they appropriately assessed. Through a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach, the present study attempted to respond to these issues by modifying an existing sexual assault experiences survey, the Sexual Experiences Survey-Long Form Victimization (SES-LFV), to be more relevant to women with disabilities. This process was done by asking experts in the field of disability to conduct a review of the SES-LFV and provide feedback about the relevance of the survey to women with disabilities and to assess the overall clarity and utility of the survey. Results reflected several changes that needed to be made to the survey to make it more relevant to women with disabilities. Implications for the future use of the survey and for future research are discussed.

Page Count

131

Department or Program

School of Professional Psychology

Year Degree Awarded

2015


Included in

Psychology Commons

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