Understanding women's experiences of objectification as it relates to posttraumatic stress: An interpretive phenomenological approach

This qualitative study explored our understanding of women's experiences of being objectified and examine the post trauma-related effects that being objectified can produce. Descriptions of this experience were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 5 individuals who had first hand knowledge of the experience. Data were analyzed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (Smith & Osborn, 2008). Analysis involved coding open-ended participant responses into distinct categories, which fostered organization of the data obtained. A top-down approach was utilized, and categories were based on factors identified in previous research, with the addition of posttraumatic stress features.;The participants were initially asked to describe their experiences of objectification. All participants gave concretized forms of objectification they experienced: the male gaze, sexual harassment/assault, and cat-calling. The participants also identified the impact of self-objectification as not only a result of being objectified by others, but as an on-going form of objectification they actively employ, unwantedly, in their own lives. Secondly, the participants were asked to describe what they experienced as a result of being objectified. The participants identified the following results of being objectified: flashbacks and avoidance of stimuli. The results of the study explicitly highlight that objectification can elicit posttraumatic stress responses.;The findings of this study add to the understanding of women's experiences of objectification as it relates to posttraumatic stress responses. Clinicians may utilize the results of this study to inform how they interact with female clients and conceptualize their presentation. Furthermore, this research contributes to the body of knowledge on posttraumatic stress.