Polyvictimization and its relationship to symptoms of psychopathology in a southern European sample of adolescent outpatients

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between accumulated experiences of victimization and symptoms of psychopathology in 132 adolescent outpatients aged 12–17 years (M=14.27; SD=1.42). The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire and the Youth Self-Report were used to analyze polyvictimization and symptoms of psychopathology, respectively. The interviews were conducted between December 2009 and May 2012. Cluster analysis identified a subgroup of polyvictimized patients (n=17) whose general psychological impairment was significantly worse and who presented significantly more externalizing and internalizing symptoms in comparison to the rest of the sample. This difference remained significant when taking into account the clinical severity of these symptoms. These results should be taken into account when assessing and treating adolescent outpatients, for whom an adequate prognosis must be made in line with their experiences and distress. Both the self-report technique and the statistical procedure used have been shown to be suitable for identifying victimization experiences in outpatients, although this new evidence requires confirmation in future research.