Abstract
We examined the risk factors for and psychological problems associated with violence victimization in a nationwide representative sample of Korean adolescents. Data from the 2016 Korean Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey was used. Participants were asked about their experience of being a victim of violence that required medical treatment during the past 12 months, as well as their perceived health, happiness, sleep satisfaction, stress, depressed mood, and suicidality. The 12-month prevalence of violence victimization requiring medical treatment was 2.4%. The results indicated that adolescents were at an increased risk for violence victimization if they were male, older, had parents of a foreign nationality, did not reside with their family, worked part time, resided in small cities or rural areas, were high or low in socioeconomic status (SES), exhibited high or low levels of academic performance, used alcohol or tobacco, and were sexually active. In addition, while violence victimization was negatively associated with perceived health and happiness, it was positively associated with perceived stress, depressed mood, and suicidality. The results indicate that a social disadvantage, involvement in risky behavior, and psychological problems are associated with violence victimization. Effective violence prevention efforts should thus target high-risk groups, and clinical attention is needed to address the psychological costs associated with violence victimization.
Highlights
Research suggests that more than half of the world’s children and adolescents have experienced some form of violence in the past 12 months, with Asian countries having the highest number of children and adolescents exposed to such violence [1]
In terms of risky behaviors, our results show that adolescents who engaged in sexual relations had a higher chance of becoming a victim of violence, and these results are consistent with previous findings [47,48]
We found evidence of several risk factors for and psychological problems associated with violence victimization, there are some limitations to this study
Summary
Research suggests that more than half of the world’s children and adolescents have experienced some form of violence in the past 12 months, with Asian countries having the highest number of children and adolescents exposed to such violence [1]. Violence victimization includes experiences of physical, sexual, and emotional violence [2], and it is a key risk factor for mental health problems and suicide among adolescents, with psychological manifestations extending into adulthood [3,4,5]. Violence victimization should not be regarded as a normative aspect of development [6], considering the long-lasting and adverse impact it has on its victims in terms of social and psychological costs [7]. Violence victimization among adolescents is linked to a wide range of psychiatric symptoms, such as depression, anxiety, and suicidality [8,9,10,11]. It is crucial to identify the risk factors for violence victimization among adolescents in order to provide high-risk groups with timely interventions that mitigate its long-term effects
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