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Abstract
The majority of research on the impact of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on sexuality has focused on sexual behavior, with few studies examining the impact of CSA experiences on sexual self-perception and cognitions about sexuality. The current study examined differences in cognitions about sexuality, as assessed by the sexual self-schema factors, between CSA victims and nonvictims and explored how these differences may contribute to risk for adult sexual assault experiences. Participants were 1150 predominantly white, heterosexual women who completed paper and pencil, self-report assessment measures pertaining to the constructs of interest. CSA victims and nonvictims differed on each sexual self-schema factor with CSA victims reporting higher openness and immoral-irresponsible cognitions about sexuality but less embarrassed and passionate-romantic cognitions. However, these cognitions about sexuality did not mediate the relationships between CSA and adult sexual assault or between CSA and risky sexual behaviors as hypothesized. Post-hoc analyses found several instances where cognitions about sexuality did moderate the relationships between CSA and adult sexual assault as well as between CSA and risky sexual behaviors. Implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.