Overall, results supported the hypothesis that greater use of avoidance would be associated with greater psychological distress
and the severity of childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Specifically, CSA survivors who report sexual
victimization before the age of 14 years may report more trauma-related distress symptoms when
avoidance is used as a primary method of regulating negative emotions or thoughts. Participants were 151 female undergraduate students recruited through psychology courses who completed a series of questionnaires assessing sexual victimization during childhood, psychological measures of avoidance, and psychological distress. Measures included the Impact Event Scale, the Trauma Symptom Inventory, and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire. Statistical analysis techniques included bivariate correlations and multiple regression models. Future studies should focus on a comprehensive analysis of regulation processes among individuals with a history of sexual victimization.