Abstract
Causal modeling procedures were used to test current theories that emphasize the mediating role of beliefs in explaining the emotional reactions of crime victims. The sample was composed of representative subsamples of violent crime victims (79 women, 64 men), property crime victims (170 women, 125 men), and nonvictims (139 women, 102 men). Violent crime was found to have both a direct effect on psychological distress and an indirect effect through its impact on beliefs about safety, esteem, and trust. Property crime had only indirect effects on distress as mediated by safety-related beliefs. Although effects of violent crime on psychological distress were somewhat stronger among women, overall the belief mediational model explained the data of both women and men. Thus the findings illustrate the potential of crimes of many types to affect fundamental beliefs about the self, others, and the world.
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