Different Forms Of Victimization Research Articles

Effects of Unequal Treatment, Verbal Harassment, and Physical Violence on Subjective Cognitive Health Among Middle-Aged and Older LGBTQ Adults: Variation by Type and Basis of Victimization

This study investigated how different forms of victimization influence subjective cognitive health among middle-aged and older LGBTQ adults. Using data from the Vanderbilt University Social Networks, Aging, and Policy Study, we applied Poisson regression models to examine the effects of victimization experiences, including variation by type and basis of victimization, on the number of self-reported cognitive difficulties. Regarding victimization type, we tested the effects of experiencing unequal treatment, verbal harassment, and physical attack in the last year on the number of self-reported cognitive difficulties. We also examined the effects of experiencing victimization based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, and race or ethnicity on the number of self-reported cognitive difficulties. Respondents who experienced victimization in the past year reported higher rates of cognitive difficulties than respondents who did not experience victimization. These results varied by victimization type. Experiencing unequal treatment and verbal harassment in the last year was associated with higher rates of self-reported cognitive difficulties. Experiencing physical attack did not significantly predict higher rates of self-reported cognitive difficulties. Finally, victimization experiences based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, and age all predicted higher rates of self-reported cognitive difficulties. Taken together, these results demonstrate how different forms of victimization could harm cognitive health among LGBTQ populations and generate cognitive health disparities.

Decoding the effects of varied peer victimization forms on depression and anxiety among Chinese adolescents: An exploration through latent transition analysis.

This study aims to examine co-occurrence patterns of depression and anxiety among Chinese adolescents and their associations with various forms of peer victimization. We collected longitudinal data from 1005 middle school students using the Multidimensional Peer Victimization Scale, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Then we conducted latent profile analysis, latent transition analysis, and logistic regression analysis. The results reveal the presence of three depression-anxiety profiles among participants: low depression-anxiety group, moderate depression-anxiety group, and high depression-anxiety group. As verbal and relational victimization increase, adolescents are more likely to transition to a higher level of depression-anxiety profile. However, an increase in physical and property victimization predicts a transition to a lower level of depression-anxiety profile. The diverse effects resulting from different forms of victimization exhibit gender differences. For boys, an increase in relational victimization made participants in the moderate depression-anxiety group more likely to transition to the high depression-anxiety group, whereas this effect was not significant among girls. This study is theoretically significant for understanding the link between depression, anxiety, and their influencing factors. It suggests that educators, while addressing verbal and relational harm in adolescents, should reconsider the potential impact of physical and property harm. Opportunities to transform negative events into positive ones should be explored. Educators should tailor their focus based on gender, with a particular emphasis on addressing relational harm among male students. This underscores the need for differentiated approaches to effectively support students.

Teacher Victimization by Students, Their Parents, and School Staff: Prevalence and Links with Teachers’ Life Satisfaction in a Lithuanian Sample

The links between different forms of teacher victimization and teachers’ life satisfaction are still under-researched. To highlight teacher victimization by various parties within the school environment and its associations with teachers’ life satisfaction, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, the Multidimensional Teacher Victimization Scale, and some additional measures were applied. The findings based on a Lithuanian sample (n = 1146) revealed that a significant portion of teachers have experienced victimization in various forms: 38.5% of teachers have been bullied by school staff, 33.9% have faced verbal victimization from students’ parents, and victimization by students affected 65.8% of teachers, with verbal and social victimization being the most common. An SEM analysis (χ2 = 355.787; Df = 33; CFI = 0.928; TLI = 0.902; NFI = 0.922; RMSEA = 0.092 [0.084–0.101]; SRMR = 0.0432) revealed that bullying by staff is not only detrimental in its own right but also relates positively to other forms of victimization, including verbal victimization by parents and multidimensional victimization by students, as teacher victimization by students and their parents mediated the relationship between teacher victimization by school staff and teacher life satisfaction. The findings suggest a complex problem within the school environment where different forms of victimization are interconnected and call for urgent attention and action from educational policymakers and school administrators to address and mitigate teacher victimization.

Reciprocal Links Between Friendship Quality and Peer Victimization Among Middle Adolescents.

There is a robust association between friendship quality and victimization in adolescence; yet, it remains unclear whether friendship quality may be linked causally with different forms of victimization in middle adolescence. To fill this gap, this study examines the bidirectional associations of friendship quality and relational/verbal victimization with data collected at two time points, 6 months apart, in a sample of 671 middle Chinese adolescents (Mage = 15.63, SDage = 0.73, 49% males). Cross-lagged panel analyses revealed a two-way relationship between friendship quality and victimization, which existed in both verbal and relational victimization. Multi-group panel analyses observed that the cross-lagged associations between friendship quality and relational/verbal victimization were only found for males, but not for females. This result suggests that adolescent males' victimization is both affected by and a predictor of friendship quality, with implications for youth prevention programs.

Victim-Perpetrator Relationship: Reconnoitering Typology of Victimization in Anita Nair’s Eating Wasps

Violence against women is not new from feticide to cyberbullying. It remains unchanged and experienced by all ages of women from perpetrators in the patriarchal hegemony. Every form of violence affects millions of women’s lives irrespective of age, class, culture, language, religion, and education, and it cannot be stopped by anything due to deep-rooted patriarchy and gender stereotypes. Men (gender stereotypes) become the primary reason for the violence against women and women become vulnerable victims as they are considered ‘Other’, the weaker sex. Victimization has a physical and psychological impact on victims’ rest of their lives. Anita Nair, an Indian author vociferates the different forms of victimization in the modern era in her latest literary oeuvre Eating Wasps (2018). Megha, a six-year-old child, Liliana, an Italian spinster and Najma, a Muslim girl do not share any contribution to victimization but being in the hapless situation entitles them to be victimized. Yet, they are denied to accept the tag ‘victim’ and become survivors by fighting against the odds in their society. This study traverses the relationship between victims and perpetrators through the lens of Benjamin Mendelsohn’s typology of victimization and the challenges encountered by victims in the patriarchal environment.

The Associations between Father Involvement and Father-Daughter Relationship Quality on Girls' Experience of Social Bullying Victimization.

With much research into physical, cyber, and verbal bullying victimization, social bullying victimization is a type of victimization that can be hidden. Studies about Black father involvement have found involvement to be a buffer to adverse and risky behaviors of children, including different forms of victimization experienced by their daughters. This study examined one gap in the literature: the direct and potentially indirect associations between father involvement and father-child relationship quality on child reports of social bullying victimization among girls. The cross-sectional sample of 368 Black fathers and their daughters was sourced from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. Data from wave 5 were selected for the child (age 9) and father because social bullying victimization was first measured at this time point. Logistic regression analysis findings showed father involvement was associated with lower social bullying victimization. In addition, talking and sharing ideas quite well rather than extremely well with their fathers was associated with higher odds of social bullying victimization. Father-daughter relationship quality did not mediate the father involvement and social bullying victimization relationship. Findings provide additional support to include fathers, particularly Black fathers, in intervention/prevention efforts and the importance of increasing awareness and benefits of father involvement in subtle forms of victimization such as social bullying victimization among Black families.

Technology-Facilitated Sexual Violence Perpetration and Victimization Among Adolescents: A Network Analysis

IntroductionThe present study sought to analyze the relationships between different forms of technology-facilitated sexual violence (TFSV) perpetration and victimization, including gender- and sexuality-based harassment, digital sexual harassment, and image-based sexual abuse (IBSA), which includes both sextortion and non-consensual pornography.MethodsThe sample was composed of 1682 adolescents (865 girls; Mage = 13.90, SDage = 1.26) who completed self-report measures from November 2019 to March 2020. We conducted network analyses to analyze the relationships among different forms of TFSV perpetration and victimization.ResultsOverall, girls had higher victimization scores, whereas boys had higher scores in the perpetration of several forms of TFSV. Gender- and sexuality-based victimization formed a cluster with digital sexual harassment victimization, while sextortion and nonconsensual pornography victimization formed a differentiated cluster. Forms of IBSA victimization and digital sexual harassment victimization were strongly associated with their perpetration counterparts for boys, but this was not the case for girls.ConclusionsThe results revealed that the different forms of victimization and perpetration appear to be related and suggest that TFSV is a gendered form of abuse.Policy ImplicationsFindings from the present study suggest that preventive programs in schools and communities should be holistic and address various forms of TFSV.

Children’s self-perception: Investigating associations with direct victimization, indirect victimization, and caregiver partner violence

BackgroundExposure to victimization can negatively impact children’s self-perception; however, little is known about how types of victimization are related to different facets of self-perception. ObjectiveThe current study examined associations between three metrics of victimization exposure (e.g., direct victimization, indirect victimization, caregiver intimate partner violence (IPV) exposure) and three aspects of self-perception (i.e., global self-worth, social competence, behavioral conduct) in a sample of racially diverse youth. Participants and settingParticipants were 96 children aged 7–12 (Mage = 9.34, SD = 1.45; 55.2 % girls) and their primary caregiver (Mage = 35.20, SD = 8.08; 100 % women). Families were recruited from a family safety center in the Midsouth, United States. The sample was predominantly Black or African American (76 %) and lower income (65 % lived below the federal poverty line for a family of three). MethodsChildren reported on their own self-perception and experiences of direct and indirect victimization; caregivers reported on their experiences with IPV. ResultsRegression analyses (n = 96 children) demonstrated that direct victimization exposure was negatively associated with children’s self-worth and social competence while indirect victimization exposure was positively linked with children’s self-worth and social competence. Caregiver IPV was not significantly associated with any domain of self-perception. ConclusionsResults highlight the importance of violence prevention programs targeting different forms of victimization and improving accessibility to interventions for children exposed to adversity.

Patterns of Elementary School Students' Bullying Victimization: Roles of Family and Individual Factors.

Physical, verbal, and relational bullying victimization are common forms of bullying victimization. Some victims may suffer only one form of victimization and some may suffer multiple forms of victimization at the same time. Bullying victimization groups are heterogeneous and different forms of victimization may have different combination patterns. Previous studies assessed patterns of bullying victimization among junior and senior high school students. However, limited studies explored patterns among elementary students and explored possible factors in shaping these patterns from the integrated perspective of family and individual. We expanded and deepened research in this area using questionnaires to collect self-report data for 866 parent/child pairs. Latent profile analysis was used to explore patterns of elementary students. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine relations between patterns and family and individual factors. We found three bullying victimization groups: severe (5.4%), verbal (13.6%), and non-bullying victimization (81%). In family factors, the time parents spent with children was a protective factor for bullying victimization, and negative interactions with children was a risk factor. Individual-level protective factors for bullying victimization were coming from a single child household, positive coping style, and perceived peer support, whereas a negative coping style was a risk factor. These results indicate that different forms of bullying victimization co-occur among elementary school students. Some family and individual factors are associated with bullying victimization patterns. It is important to consider the heterogeneity among the bullying victimization groups of elementary students and influencing factors to develop targeted prevention interventions for different bullying victimization groups.

Victimized adolescents' aggression in cliques with different victimization norms: The healthy context paradox or the peer contagion hypothesis?

Bullying victimization has been linked to an elevated risk of both internalizing and externalizing problems, yet the mechanisms underlying these associations, especially from the perspective of naturally occurring informal cliques, are not well understood. Based on two contrasting hypotheses from the healthy context paradox and the peer contagion hypothesis, the current 2-year longitudinal study (a) investigated the interaction effects of individual victimization (i.e., physical, verbal, and relational forms) and clique victimization norms on their reactive-proactive aggression and (b) examined whether they were distinct to these effects on depressive symptoms. Both self-reported and peer-nominated surveys were administrated to 691 junior high school students (55.6% boys; Mage = 12.74, SD = 0.43 years) who were identified from 153 cliques (Msize = 5.08, SD = 1.89) using a social cognitive map, at two time points 2 years apart. Multilevel modeling indicated that both physical and relational victims (except verbal victims) at baseline committed more reactive forms of aggression (not proactive forms) in cliques with lower victimization norms 2 years later. Similarly, physical victims in lower-victimization cliques reported more depressive symptoms 2 years later. Additionally, these significant results were found in self-reported forms of victimization, but not peer-nominated forms. These findings confirm the healthy context paradox in both individual internalizing and externalizing problems in clique contexts, and elaborate this paradox on different forms of victimization, which provide a more nuanced understanding and have important implications in the field of anti-bullying interventions.

Youth Gangs and Victimization: An Investigation of the Impact of Gang Dynamics on Experiences of Victimization

ABSTRACT Studies comparing gang members to similarly situated non-gang members find youth gang involvement is positively associated with experiencing simple and aggravated assault (i.e., violent victimization). This study expands on those studies by using data on gang dynamics from the Denver Youth Survey and bringing theory and concepts directly related to street gangs to the analysis of the relationship between gang membership and different forms of victimization. We focus on specific mechanisms – such as gang organization, centrality, leadership roles, identity, and tenure – that inform gang member behaviors while controlling for risky behaviors and personal histories. Findings indicate (1) gang organization is positively associated with both simple and aggravated assault victimization; (2) gang centrality is positively associated with aggravated assault victimization; and (3) being the leader of a gang is negatively associated with aggravated assault victimization. We discuss the implications of these results using a gang-informed framework.

Rumination Mediates the Longitudinal Associations Between Elementary-School Victimization and Adolescents' Internalizing Problems.

Identifying potential mechanisms responsible for victimized children's maladjustment over time is a crucial step in our efforts to alleviate negative consequences of victimization. In this study, we examined whether rumination would serve as a potential mediator of the prospective links between victimization in late childhood and symptoms of depression and anxiety in adolescence. The sample included 552 Finnish students (238 boys; Mage in third grade = 9.85 years, SD = .71) who participated in a longitudinal study. Participants filled out several measures where they were asked about the frequency of different forms of victimization (in third and fourth grade), how much they ruminated about their past victimization and whether it elicited sadness and anger (in seventh grade), and the degree to which they experienced depressive and anxiety symptoms (in third and seventh grade). We found that greater frequency of victimization in elementary school led to increases in symptoms of depression and anxiety through rumination. These findings suggest that at least some victimization-related negative consequences can be minimized if we are able to help young people to stop reliving their painful memories.

Associations between different forms of peer victimization and school absences: The moderating role of teacher attachment and perceived school safety

AbstractGiven the significant negative impacts of peer victimization on youth development, studies have sought to understand what buffers against these consequences. To that end, the present study examined whether teacher attachment and perceptions of school safety moderated the associations between different forms of victimization and school absences over the course of an academic year among a sample of 272 high school students. Findings indicated that teacher attachment moderated the associations between relational and cyber victimization and absences, while perceived school safety moderated associations between relational victimization and absences. However, findings pertaining to cyber victimization were not as anticipated. Implications for prevention and intervention efforts in high schools are discussed.

A longitudinal twin study of victimization and loneliness from childhood to young adulthood.

The present study used a longitudinal and discordant twin design to explore in depth the developmental associations between victimization and loneliness from mid-childhood to young adulthood. The data were drawn from the Environmental Risk (E-Risk) Longitudinal Twin Study, a birth cohort of 2,232 individuals born in England and Wales during 1994-1995. Diverse forms of victimization were considered, differing across context, perpetrator, and timing of exposure. The results indicated that exposure to different forms of victimization was associated with loneliness in a dose-response manner. In childhood, bullying victimization was uniquely associated with loneliness, over and above concurrent psychopathology, social isolation, and genetic risk. Moreover, childhood bullying victimization continued to predict loneliness in young adulthood, even in the absence of ongoing victimization. Within-twin pair analyses further indicated that this longitudinal association was explained by genetic confounds. In adolescence, varied forms of victimization were correlated with young adult loneliness, with maltreatment, neglect, and cybervictimization remaining robust to controls for genetic confounds. These findings indicate that vulnerability to loneliness in victimized young people varies according to the specific form of victimization in question, and also to the developmental period in which it was experienced.

Cyber and Offline Dating Abuse in a Portuguese Sample: Prevalence and Context of Abuse.

The increasing use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and networking has promoted the occurrence of different forms of victimization, specifically in terms of interpersonal interaction (e.g., cyberbullying or online risk-taking behaviour), which also includes cyber dating abuse (CDA). Some studies report that CDA is an extension of offline dating abuse (ODA). Because Portuguese studies in this area are scarce, this study aims to bridge this knowledge gap, seeking to investigate the extent and the context of CDA occurrence, and the relationship between CDA and all forms of ODA, i.e., physical, verbal–emotional and control. A convenience sample of 173 Portuguese adolescents and young adults was studied. This sample is mostly female (86.7%), has a mean (M) age of 25.36 years old and a standard deviation (SD) of 6.88 years of age. The results show that CDA and ODA among the Portuguese are very prevalent and related. Control (31.8 vs. 20.8%) and verbal–emotional ODA (26.7 vs. 20.2%) as well as control CDA (38.2 vs. 43.4%) were the most prevalent forms of abuse, either in terms of victimization or in terms of perpetration. The results also showed that CDA usually appears in a context of jealousy, also explaining control CDA and CDA direct aggression. A significant relationship between control CDA and CDA direct aggression and physical, verbal–emotional and control ODA was found. Experiencing control and verbal–emotional ODA are the main risk factors of control CDA victimization. This study allows to lay the groundwork for further research on dating victimization and perpetration through ICT, and has important practical implications at the level of Portuguese prevention strategies and intervention policies, thus emphasizing the role of the official authorities and the law itself.

A Descriptive Study of Bullying Victimization Among Arab American Adolescents in Southeast Michigan Middle and High Schools

PurposeThis cross-sectional study examined the frequency of different forms of bullying victimization (verbal, physical, and social), predictors of victimization, and whether bullying is reported to an adult. Design and methodsThe study utilized a community sample of 150 Arab American adolescents, age 12 to 16 years. The Adolescent Peer Relations Instrument-Victimization Scale was used to determine the participant's experiences of victimization in the past year. The adolescents indicated where bullying occurred, why, and whether they reported the incidence to an adult. ResultsApproximately 30% of the study sample reported that victimization occurred occasionally (once a month or more frequent). Classrooms and hallways were the most common locations where bullying had occurred. Country-of-origin and obesity were the most frequent reasons for victimization. Predictors varied among the different forms of victimization; however, cyber-victimization [OR = 24.5; 95% CI 5–119.5)], perceived problematic attire [OR = 8.4; 95% CI 2.2–31.9)], female gender [OR = 5.2; 95% CI 1.2–22.7)], and being overweight [OR = 0.14; 95% CI 0.01–2.6)] all predicted overall victimization. ConclusionsOur findings provide a foundation for future research focusing on Arab American adolescents, an underrepresented population, more research is needed to understand the scope of bullying victimization among Arab American adolescents. Practice implicationsThis study will inform future intervention research and practice to consider victimization and related factors among Arab American adolescents. Culturally sensitive and multilevel interventions are imperative to decrease bullying victimization among Arab American adolescents and prevent negative effects on their health and families.

Measurement of peer and friend relational and physical victimization among early adolescents

IntroductionPeer victimization has been widely examined among children and adolescents; however, the majority of studies in the area of research have been conducted in Western cultures. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the utility of measures that assess different forms of victimization (physical and relational victimization; a two-factor model) against a global form of victimization (combined victimization; a one-factor model) in the peer groups and friendships among Japanese adolescents. It was hypothesized that peer and friend relational victimization would be conceptually distinct from peer and friend physical victimization in Japan. MethodsThe participants were fourth and fifth graders (n = 222, 50% females, age 9–11) and their classroom teachers in Japanese elementary schools. The data were drawn from a short-term longitudinal study. ResultsResults showed, as hypothesized, that peer and friend relational victimization was conceptually and empirically different from peer and friend physical victimization. ConclusionsThese findings suggest that children and teachers view peer and friend relational victimization and peer and friend physical victimization differently. Examining forms of victimization separately is promising for future peer relations research in Japan.

The contribution of interpersonal violence victimization types to psychological distress among youth

BackgroundAssociations between different types of victimization and symptomology among youth remain unclear due to methodological limitations preventing the identification of the independent contribution of each type of violence. ObjectiveThe purpose was to examine associations between different types of victimization and the odds of experiencing clinically significant levels of anxiety, depression, and anger/aggression. We also examined the unique contribution of each type of victimization to these outcomes. ParticipantsParticipants were a nationally representative sample of youth ages 10–17 (n = 1019) who were residing in the United States when data were collected in 2002–2003. MethodsYouth reported on their experiences of different forms of victimization (e.g., physical abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, sibling abuse, bullying, sexual assault, and witnessing violence) within the past year. Logistic regression and relative weights analyses were used to examine associations between victimization and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and anger/aggression. ResultsThe prevalence of reported victimization ranged from 1.3 % for neglect to 41.3% for sibling abuse. Physical and emotional child abuse, sibling abuse, bullying, and emotional bullying were associated with increased odds of clinically significant anxiety, depression, and anger/aggression. Witnessing parent intimate partner violence was associated with increased odds of clinically significant anger/aggression. Witnessing parental assault of a sibling was associated with increased odds of clinically significant anxiety and anger/aggression. Emotional bullying predicted the largest percentage of variance in anxiety and depression, followed by emotional abuse and sibling aggression. ConclusionsThese findings underscore the need for further assessment and treatment for sibling abuse and emotional bullying.

Victimization and substance use among adolescents in residential child care

BackgroundAdolescents in Residential Child Care (RCC) report high levels of victimization. This has been linked to mental health problems and a higher risk of substance use and substance use problems. The present study aimed to evaluate the specific impact of different forms of victimization on alcohol and cannabis use problems among adolescents in RCC, attending to sex differences. Methods321 adolescents from 38 residential therapeutic care facilities in Spain participated in the study. Thirty-six different forms of victimization were evaluated, as well as alcohol and cannabis use problems. Impact of polyvictimization and specific forms of victimization on alcohol and cannabis use problems and disorders were calculated using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression models. ResultsGirls in RCC reported significantly more experiences of victimization. Polyvictimization was associated with alcohol use problems but not cannabis use problems. Property, domestic and community victimization showed the highest predictive role regarding alcohol and cannabis use disorders, with significant interactions with sex and migrant family background. ConclusionsAdolescents in RCC reported considerably high levels of victimization and alcohol and cannabis use problems. In this population, property victimization, as well as indirect domestic and community victimization were predictors of further substance use problems, with girls being particularly sensitive to victimization. Migrant family backgrounds can also have an influence on the impact of some victimization forms on substance use. Victimization associated to high-risk environments and families could contribute to explain the high levels of substance use problems in this population.

Subjective well-being among victimized university students: comparison between cyber dating abuse and bullying victimization

PurposePrevious research has documented a negative association between subjective well-being and different forms of victimization. The present study aims to examine differences in well-being among university student victims of cyber dating abuse and bullying after controlling for acceptance of dating violence.Design/methodologyThis a cross-sectional study involving 1,657 Spanish university students (62.1% females, 37.1% males) using a quantitative approach.FindingsThe multiple regression analysis results showed that the university students who reported low bullying victimization and low acceptance of dating violence also reported higher emotional, social and psychological well-being, although the association between bullying and well-being was weak. No relationship was found between cyber dating abuse victimization and the well-being dimensions examined (emotional, social and psychological). Indeed, the participants not involved in any form of abuse and the cyber dating abuse victims presented the highest level of emotional, social and psychological well-being compared to the bullying victims and the combined victims.Practical implicationsPrevention and intervention programs need to specifically address bullying and cyber dating abusive in university, with a special focus on normative beliefs about both types of victimization and offering different sources of support to overcome negative consequences on mental health.Originality/valueThis paper analyzes the subjective well-being correlates simultaneously in victims of cyber dating abuse and bullying among university students without assuming that every form of victimization has the same mental health outcomes.