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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Depression and Anxiety

A Dimensional Approach to PTSD After Drug‐Facilitated Sexual Assault: Impact on Sexual Functioning

  • Marta Lizarán1,2
  • Adrián Torres-Villasante2,3
  • Julia Andreu-Martínez1,2
  • Nadina Gómez-Merino4,5
  • Javier Sánchez-Ruiz6
  • Javier Plumed-Domingo1,2
  • Alba Moreno-Giménez2,3
  • Ana García-Blanco1,2,3
6 affiliations
  1. 1Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology La Fe University and Polytechnic Hospital Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell 106 Valencia 46026 Spain hospital-lafe.com
  2. 2Mental Health Research Group Health Research Institute La Fe Avenida Fernando Abril Martorell 106 Valencia 46026 Spain iislafe.es
  3. 3Department of Personality Evaluation and Psychological Treatment Faculty of Psychology University of Valencia Avenida Blasco Ibáñez, 21 Valencia 46010 Spain uv.es
  4. 4ERI-Lectura Faculty of Psychology University of Valencia Avenida Blasco Ibáñez, 21 Valencia 46010 Spain uv.es
  5. 5Department of Developmental and Educational Psychology Faculty of Psychology University of Valencia Avenida Blasco Ibáñez, 21 Valencia 46010 Spain uv.es
  6. 6Department of Methodology of Behavioral Sciences Faculty of Psychology University of Valencia Avenida Blasco Ibáñez, 21 Valencia 46010 Spain uv.es
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Abstract

Sexual assault (SA) is linked to both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and sexual functioning (SF) difficulties, but the psychological consequences of drug‐facilitated SA (DFSA) remain insufficiently characterized. This study primarily compared PTSD symptom profiles between DFSA and non‐DFSA survivors, while secondarily examining SF deterioration and exploring associations between PTSD symptom profiles and SF impairment. Thirty‐nine women who experienced an isolated SA within the past year (20 non‐DFSA, 19 DFSA) and 35 nontraumatized controls were recruited. Participants with prior SA, trauma history, or previous psychiatric disorders were excluded. PTSD symptoms were assessed only in the survivor groups. Although both survivor groups met PTSD criteria at similar rates, DFSA survivors exhibited fewer and less severe symptoms, particularly in reexperiencing, distress, avoidance, and dissociation. Both survivor groups reported SF deterioration after the SA compared with pre‐assault functioning. In exploratory linear regression analyses, greater hyperarousal severity, but not negative alterations in cognition and mood, was associated with greater SF deterioration. These findings suggest that DFSA is characterized by a distinct profile of PTSD symptoms despite comparable diagnostic rates, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond categorical PTSD diagnoses toward symptom‐informed clinical assessment. Such an approach may facilitate more personalized trauma‐informed interventions. The exploratory association between hyperarousal and SF deterioration provides preliminary evidence for a potential therapeutic target that warrants confirmation in larger prospective studies.

Related

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  4. Sexual function in women with a history of sexual assault: A cross‐sectional study
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  5. Anxiety Symptom Burden at the Time of Forensic Evaluation in Child Victims of Sexual Assault: A Prospective Study Using the Beck Anxiety Inventory.
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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{lizaran2026dimensional,
  title = {{A Dimensional Approach to PTSD After Drug‐Facilitated Sexual Assault: Impact on Sexual Functioning}},
  author = {Marta Lizarán and Adrián Torres-Villasante and Julia Andreu-Martínez and Nadina Gómez-Merino and Javier Sánchez-Ruiz and Javier Plumed-Domingo and Alba Moreno-Giménez and Ana García-Blanco},
  journal = {Depression and Anxiety},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1155/da/6023533},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1155/da/6023533},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - A Dimensional Approach to PTSD After Drug‐Facilitated Sexual Assault: Impact on Sexual Functioning
AU  - Marta Lizarán
AU  - Adrián Torres-Villasante
AU  - Julia Andreu-Martínez
AU  - Nadina Gómez-Merino
AU  - Javier Sánchez-Ruiz
AU  - Javier Plumed-Domingo
AU  - Alba Moreno-Giménez
AU  - Ana García-Blanco
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/31
JO  - Depression and Anxiety
DO  - 10.1155/da/6023533
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1155/da/6023533
AB  - Sexual assault (SA) is linked to both posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and sexual functioning (SF) difficulties, but the psychological consequences of drug‐facilitated SA (DFSA) remain insufficiently characterized. This study primarily compared PTSD symptom profiles between DFSA and non‐DFSA survivors, while secondarily examining SF deterioration and exploring associations between PTSD symptom profiles and SF impairment. Thirty‐nine women who experienced an isolated SA within the past year (20 non‐DFSA, 19 DFSA) and 35 nontraumatized controls were recruited. Participants with prior SA, trauma history, or previous psychiatric disorders were excluded. PTSD symptoms were assessed only in the survivor groups. Although both survivor groups met PTSD criteria at similar rates, DFSA survivors exhibited fewer and less severe symptoms, particularly in reexperiencing, distress, avoidance, and dissociation. Both survivor groups reported SF deterioration after the SA compared with pre‐assault functioning. In exploratory linear regression analyses, greater hyperarousal severity, but not negative alterations in cognition and mood, was associated with greater SF deterioration. These findings suggest that DFSA is characterized by a distinct profile of PTSD symptoms despite comparable diagnostic rates, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond categorical PTSD diagnoses toward symptom‐informed clinical assessment. Such an approach may facilitate more personalized trauma‐informed interventions. The exploratory association between hyperarousal and SF deterioration provides preliminary evidence for a potential therapeutic target that warrants confirmation in larger prospective studies.
SN  - 1091-4269
SN  - 1520-6394
ER  -