Polyvictimization and Its Effects On Mental Health Problems Among Immigrant and Native Adolescents in Catalonia

Abstract

Introduction Several studies have reported that immigrant adolescents suffer high rates of victimization. Polyvictimization was established as a well predictor of mental health problems. Many authors have highlighted the need to study immigrant adolescents’ community as they were immersed in a stressful process. Objective The aim is to assess multiple types of victimization (polyvictimization) and mental health problems among immigrants (first and second generation) in comparison to native adolescents. Method The sample was composed of 296 adolescents (62.2% girls) aged 13-18 (M = 15.63; SD = 1.19) in Catalonia. Participants were distributed in three groups: native (50%), first (34%) and second (16%) generation immigrants. The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire and the Youth Self Report were used to assess victimization experiences during the last year and psychological distress, respectively. Results Immigrant and native adolescents were comparable in average of total victimizations and in different types of victimization. Nevertheless, significant differences were shown among first immigrant generation and natives in relation to child maltreatment (p = .005). Significant associations were found between multiple kinds of victimization and mental health problems. However, for first immigrant generation who had experienced multiple victimizations were more associated with internalizing symptoms, while victimized native adolescents were more associated with externalizing symptoms. Conclusions Results emphasized the importance to assess victimization experiences which were suffered by adolescents, and also suggested that polyvictimization will be associated differently depend on the migration status group of the adolescents with mental health problems.