Higher Levels Of Victimization Research Articles

The Healthy Context Paradox at a National/Country-Level: Is Victimisation associated with Worse Adjustment in Countries where the Average Level of Victimisation is Lower?

AbstractRecent research has highlighted the healthy context paradox (HCP), namely that the association between peer victimisation and psychological and social adjustment worsens in social contexts with lower average level of victimisation. Previous research has examined this phenomenon in relation to classroom- or school-level victimisation. We tested whether the HCP is applicable on a much wider scale, at national level. Besides country-level victimisation, we explored whether country-level economic inequality and social welfare protection moderate the victimisation-adjustment link. We used data from the HBSC 2013/2014 survey related to peer victimisation and five measures of health and wellbeing of 11-, 13- and 15-year-old boys and girls from 40 countries (N = 198,646) in Europe and North America, complemented with information on economic inequality (Gini index, available for 33 countries) and social protection (decommodification index, available for 25 countries). We confirmed an expected within-country correlation between higher levels of victimisation and poorer health and wellbeing for each measure and across countries; however this association had significant between-country variability. For country-level victimisation, there was evidence of a significant HCP effect for the measures of peer support and life satisfaction – but not for feeling low, health, and liking school.

The Healthy Context Paradox Between Bullying and Emotional Adaptation: A Moderated Mediating Effect.

Bullying is a significant concern for young people, with studies consistently showing a link between bullying and negative emotional consequences. However, the mechanisms that underlie this association remain unclear, particularly in terms of the classroom environment. This study aimed to explore the paradoxical phenomenon between bullying victimization and emotional adaptation among junior high school students in China, using the hypothesis of the healthy context paradox. The study involved 880 students (565 girls; Mage=14.69; SD=1.407 years), and data were collected using self-reported surveys. The findings of the study, utilizing multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) techniques, demonstrated a cross-level moderated effect of classroom-level bullying victimization on the relationship between individual bullying victimization and emotional adaptation. Specifically, the results indicated that in classrooms with higher levels of victimization, the association between individual bullying victimization and increased depressive symptoms and State&Trait anxiety was more pronounced. These findings support the "Healthy context paradox" hypothesis in the Chinese context and provide insight into the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. The results suggest that the classroom environment plays a crucial role in shaping the emotional consequences of bullying and that addressing classroom victimization is crucial for promoting emotional health among young people. By understanding the mechanisms that underlie the association between bullying and emotional consequences, interventions can be developed to target the underlying factors that contribute to this paradoxical phenomenon. Overall, the study provides new insights into the complex relationship between bullying and emotional health among young people, highlighting the importance of considering the classroom environment in addressing this issue.

The longitudinal relationship between social support and victimization among latino teens.

This study examines the relationship between social support and victimization of Latino youth over time, utilizing the stress prevention and support deterioration models. To address the research questions we utilized data from Waves 1 and 2 (n = 574) of the Dating Violence among Latino Adolescents (DAVILA) study, a national bilingual phone survey of self-identified Latino youth and their caregiver. Cross-lagged panel modeling was used to assess the fit of the two theoretical models to observed patterns of covariance among the victimization and social support variables specified. Results show that victimization at Wave 1 was positively and strongly related to victimization at Wave 2 and social support at Wave 1 was positively and moderately associated with social support at Wave 2. As hypothesized, higher levels of victimization at Wave 1 were significantly related to decreases in social support at Wave 2 (β = -.15). Wave 1 social support was not significantly related to victimization at Wave 2. We did not find support for the stress prevention model but did find support for the support deterioration model. Teens who were victimized tended to have lower levels of subsequent social support, highlighting the need to equip peers, family, and significant others to adequately respond to victimization disclosures.

Victimization and Perception of Abuse in Adolescent and Young Homosexual and Heterosexual Couples in Spain.

Currently, violence in adolescent and young couples has a significant social impact on young people's physical and psychological health. However, the study of violence in homosexual couples must also be addressed. This research analyzes the levels of violent victimization and the perception of abuse in both homosexual and heterosexual couples. Participants' ages ranged between 14 and 29 years (M = 20.14, SD = 3.464). We used The Dating Violence Questionnaire-Revised (CUIVNO-R), which was applied in two consecutive studies. The results indicate high levels of victimization, especially in the sample of homosexual participants. The scores generally show a low perception of couple violence but high victimization rates. The results of this study reveal the importance of the issue of violence in couples from minority groups and suggest that couple violence should not be understood as unidirectional, i.e., exclusively from men to women. These findings show the need for education in healthy relationships and consideration of different types of couples in these relationships.

Are there negative cycles of peer victimization and rejection sensitivity? Testing ri-CLPMs in two longitudinal samples of young adolescents.

This study's aim was to examine whether there are negative increasing cycles of peer victimization and rejection sensitivity over time. Drawing from Social Information Processing Theory, we hypothesized that victimization leads to higher levels of rejection sensitivity, which would put adolescents at risk for higher future victimization. Data were collected in a four-wave study with 233 Dutch adolescents starting secondary education (Mage = 12.7 years), and a three-wave study with 711 Australian adolescents in the last years of primary school (Mage = 10.8 years). Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were used to disentangle between-person from within-person effects. In each sample, a significant between-person association was found: adolescents with higher levels of victimization as compared to their peers also reported higher levels of rejection sensitivity. At the within-person level, all concurrent associations between individual fluctuations of victimization and rejection sensitivity were significant, but there were no significant cross-lagged effects (except in some sensitivity analyses). These findings demonstrate that victimization and rejection sensitivity are interrelated, but there may not be negative victimization-rejection sensitivity cycles during the early-middle adolescent years. Possibly, cycles establish earlier in life or results are due to shared underlying factors. Further research is needed examining different time lags between assessments, age groups, and contexts.

Farm Crime and Farmer-Police Relationships in Rural Australia

This article presents select findings from ‘farm crime’ victimisation surveys undertaken in the two most populous Australian states of New South Wales and Victoria. We examine the findings in relation to farmer crime victimisation, their willingness to report crime, and their worry about crime, as well as farmer perspectives on policing generally and the policing of farm crime specifically. In both states, there are high levels of victimisation, high levels of worry, low- to mid-levels of confidence in the police, and there remains a gap between experiences of farm crime and reporting. Both states have police tasked specifically with addressing farm crime. The Victoria Police have Farm Crime Liaison Officers that specialise in assisting with farm related crimes, however this is a voluntary role which forms part of an officer’s larger workload. By contrast, the New South Wales Police Force Rural Crime Prevention Team is a dedicated team consisting of specialised rural crime investigators and intelligence practitioners focused on proactive and preventative interventions in farm crime. Farmers in both states were surveyed regarding their awareness and engagement with these rural policing teams, and we examined how this may shape victimisation, reporting, worry and the relationships between police and farmers. In New South Wales, awareness and direct contact with rural crime police led to both increased satisfaction with police and crime reporting. Respondents with awareness of this team also express significantly less worry of crime, whilst those with direct contact did not. We conclude the article by discussing and contextualising these findings within rural criminology and considering ways forward for the policing of farm crime.

It’s a hard-knock life for us: a multilevel analysis on the association between grade retention and being bullied in 25 countries

ABSTRACT Across the world, numerous students are being bullied at school. Bullying is often caused by a power imbalance between students. Therefore, identifying potential sources of such a power imbalance can prevent school bullying from happening. Based on the labelling theory, we expect that grade retention can lead to such a power imbalance and, therefore, increase the likelihood of being bullied at school. Hence, this study examines the association between grade retention and self-reported victimisation. We also expect that retainees will be less likely to become a victim of school bullying in schools and countries with a high number of other retainees. If true, this would signal a moderating effect of both school- and country retention composition on the association between grade retention and victimisation. The contextualised impact of grade retention upon victimisation is assessed by cross-national multilevel analyses on PISA2018 data (25 countries; 8,039 schools; 159,412 students). Overall, our findings indicate that being retained in primary and/or secondary education is associated with higher levels of victimisation, while retainees suffer from more victimisation in countries with a low number of other retainees. In contrast to our expectations, however, we did not find such a moderation effect of school retention composition.

School-based victimization in children and adolescents presenting for cognitive behavioural treatment of anxiety disorders.

Peer victimization and anxiety frequently co-occur and result in adverse outcomes in youth. Cognitive behavioural treatment is effective for anxiety and may also decrease children's vulnerability to victimization. This study aims to examine peer victimization in youth who have presented to clinical services seeking treatment for anxiety. Following a retrospective review of clinical research data collected within a specialized service, peer victimization was examined in 261 children and adolescents (55.6% male, mean age 10.6 years, SD = 2.83, range 6-17 years) with a diagnosed anxiety disorder who presented for cognitive behavioural treatment. Youth and their parents completed assessments of victimization, friendships, anxiety symptoms, and externalizing problems. High levels of victimization in this sample were reported. Children's positive perceptions of their friendships were related to lower risk of relational victimization, while conduct problems were related to an increased risk of verbal and physical victimization. A subsample of these participants (n = 112, 57.1% male, mean age 10.9 years, SD = 2.89, range 6-17 years) had completed group-based cognitive behavioural treatment for their anxiety disorder. Treatment was associated with reductions in both self-reported anxiety and victimization. Results confirm the role of friendships and externalizing symptoms as factors associated with increased risk of victimization in youth with an anxiety disorder in a treatment-seeking sample. Treatment for anxiety, whether in a clinic or school setting, may provide one pathway to care for young people who are victimized, as well as playing a role in preventing or reducing victimization.

Testing the moderating role of victimization and microaggressions on the relationship between human-animal interaction and psychological adjustment among LGBTQ+ emerging adults

Abstract Human-animal interaction (HAI) is associated with positive psychological adjustment. Although these benefits are hypothesized to be most pronounced for individuals who experience adversity and compromised social relationships, such as LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual/gender minority identities) individuals, this hypothesis has not been tested. The current, cross-sectional study examined whether the strength of the relationship between emotional comfort from companion animals and self-esteem and personal hardiness varies as a function of exposure to LGBTQ+ interpersonal stressors (i.e., victimization, microaggressions). Our sample included 155 LGBTQ+ emerging adults who lived with a dog and/or cat in the past year (Mage = 19.34 years, SD = 1.12 years). To test the hypothesis, we conducted simple and multiple moderation analyses. We found evidence that the magnitude of the association between comfort from companion animals and personal hardiness was greater for those who experienced high levels of interpersonal microaggressions. Similarly, victimization moderated the relation between comfort from companion animals and self-esteem. Including victimization and interpersonal microaggressions in the same model resulted in only one significant interaction effect: the relation between comfort from companion animals and self-esteem was positive at high levels of victimization and negative at low levels of victimization. Our results suggest that among LGBTQ+ emerging adults, the benefits of HAI on self-esteem were only present when high levels of victimization were reported. Future research should continue to examine factors that may influence the benefits and risks associated with HAI to identify for whom and under what circumstances HAI is beneficial.

Associations Between Self, Peer, and Teacher Reports of Victimization and Social Skills in School in Children With Language Disorders.

Previous studies have shown that teachers and parents of children with language disorders report them to have higher victimization scores, a heightened risk of low-quality friendships and social difficulties, and may be more vulnerable to peer rejection than control peers. However, there are few studies of bullying in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and reading difficulties (RD), and none has considered the mutual relationships between teacher reports, the perceptions of classmates, and children’s self-reports. We analyzed the experiences of bullying and peer relationships in primary school students with DLD and RD as compared to their age-matched peers using teacher reports, peer reports, and self-reports on victimization. Additionally, we explored how these three perspectives are associated. Results indicated lower levels of peer-rated prosocial skills in DLD and RD students compared to their peers, as well as higher levels of victimization as assessed by peers for students with DLD. In the same line, the teachers’ ratings showed that students with DLD presented poorer social skills, less adaptability, and more withdrawal in social interaction. Contrastingly, self-reports informed of similar rates of interpersonal relationships, social stress, and peer victimization between the three groups. Consequently, we found significant correlations between measures of peer reports and teacher reports that contrasted with the lack of correlations between self and other agents’ reports. These findings stress the importance of using self-reports, peer reports, and teacher reports at the same time to detect bullying situations that might go unnoticed.

Gender minoritized students and academic engagement in Brazilian adolescents: Risk and protective factors

Gender minoritized students experience unique challenges in their school environments that may have consequences for their educational outcomes, including academic engagement. The goal of the current study was to understand the association between gender identity and academic engagement among adolescents attending public high schools in Paraná, Brazil (N = 10,828). In particular, student perceptions of student-teacher relationships, school rule fairness and clarity, school-wide academic engagement, and peer victimization were examined as four facilitator/barrier factors that may account for lower levels of academic engagement for gender minoritized students as compared to their cisgender peers, and these processes were tested for differences across race/ethnicity. Public high school students (ages 12–18 years) completed an in-class survey assessing their gender identities, perceptions of the school environment, and academic engagement. Gender minoritized students reported significantly lower levels of academic engagement as compared to their cisgender peers. They also reported less clear and fair school rules, lower levels of school-wide academic engagement, and higher levels of victimization. These facilitator/barrier variables partially accounted for the lower levels of academic engagement reported by gender minoritized students. No significant differences were observed for gender identity according to race/ethnicity. These findings suggest that facilitators/barriers that account for academic engagement for students in general partially explain gender identity-related disparities, and the implications for school psychologists are discussed.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of victimisation and mental health prevalence among LGBTQ+ young people with experiences of self-harm and suicide.

LGBTQ+ youth have higher rates of self-harm and suicide than cisgender, heterosexual peers. Less is known about prevalence of risks within these populations. The first systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the prevalence of risks among young people throughout the LGBTQ+ umbrella with experiences across the dimension of self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicide behaviour; and how they may differ between LGBTQ+ umbrella groups. MEDLINE, Scopus, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science searches were run to identify quantitative research papers (database inception to 31st January, 2020). Articles included were empirical quantitative studies, which examined risks associated with self-harm, suicidal ideation or suicidal behaviour in LGBTQ+ young people (12-25 years). 2457 articles were identified for screening which was completed by two independent reviewers. 104 studies met inclusion criteria of which 40 had data which could be meta-analysed in a meaningful way. This analysis represents victimisation and mental health difficulties as risks among LGBTQ+ youth with self-harm and suicide experiences. Random-effects modelling was used for the main analyses with planned subgroup analyses. Victimisation and mental health were key risk factors across the dimension self-harm and suicide identified through all analyses. A pooled prevalence of 0.36 was indicated for victimisation and 0.39 for mental health difficulties within LGBTQ+ young people with experiences of self-harm or suicide. Odds ratios were calculated which demonstrated particularly high levels of victimisation (3.74) and mental health difficulties (2.67) when compared to cisgender, heterosexual counterparts who also had these experiences. Victimisation and mental health difficulties are highly prevalent among LGBTQ+ youth with experiences of self-harm and suicide. Due to inconsistency of reporting, further risk synthesis is limited. Given the global inclusion of studies, these results can be considered across countries and inform policy and suicide prevention initiatives. CRD42019130037.

Covitality moderates the relationship between victimisation and loneliness

ABSTRACT Objective: Research suggests that low levels of school belonging and high levels of victimisation predict negative emotions, including loneliness. However, few studies have examined this relation among Chinese elementary school students. The protective role of covitality against victimisation and loneliness also remains unexplored. This study examines the relations between bullying victimisation, school belonging, covitality, and loneliness over 6 months, and whether covitality moderates the relations between victimisation and loneliness. Method: Eight hundred students from five elementary schools in China completed self‐report surveys at two time points (6 months apart). Results: Bullying victimisation, school belonging, and covitality predicted loneliness 6 months later. Students who experienced more bullying victimisation, lower levels of school belonging, and lower covitality reported more loneliness 6 months later. Covitality buffered the relation between verbal victimisation at Time 1 (T1) and loneliness at T1 but did not buffer the relation between victimisation T1 and loneliness at Time 2 (T2). Conclusions: Schools should prevent bullying, foster school belonging, and promote covitality (positive psychological traits) to reduce Chinese youths' feelings of loneliness. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic: (1) Victimisation is a risk factor for loneliness for children in the United States. (2) School belonging is a protective factor for loneliness for children in United States. (3) Covitality is a protective factor for youth. What this topic adds: (1) Victimisation is a risk factor for loneliness for children in China. (2) School belonging and covitality are protective factors against loneliness for children in China. (3) Covitality moderates the relation between verbal victimisation and loneliness using cross‐sectional data only.

Covitality moderates the relationship between victimisation and loneliness

Objective: Research suggests that low levels of school belonging and high levels of victimisation predict negative emotions, including loneliness. However, few studies have examined this relation a...

Attentional Biases to Bullies and Bystanders and Youth’s Coping With Peer Victimization

Effectively coping with peer victimization may be facilitated by deploying attention away from threat (i.e., bullies, reinforcers) and toward available support (e.g., defenders). To test this premise, 72 early adolescents (38 girls; Mage = 11.67, SD = 8.14 months) watched video clips of youth actors portraying a bully aggressing against a victim in front of a reinforcer and a defender. Coping was assessed using self-reports, and peer victimization was assessed through peer-, teacher-, and parent-reports. At high levels of peer victimization, attention to the bully was associated with less seeking of adult support and greater retaliation. Contrary to predictions, at high levels of victimization, attention to defenders was associated with an internalizing coping profile for boys and a retaliatory profile for girls. Thus, attentional biases may contribute to poor coping responses among victimized youth, underscoring the need to study how attention to cues is translated into actionable coping strategies.

Self-Continuity Moderates the Association Between Sexual-Minority Status Based Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms

ABSTRACT Self-continuity, or how an individual understands their sense of self as persisting from past to present and present to future, is an important aspect of the self-concept that is linked to mental health outcomes. This self-concept construct may be particularly pertinent for sexual minority populations, as living in a heterosexist environment may prove detrimental for the development of self-continuity. The current study examined self-continuity among sexual minority and heterosexual community college and university students (N = 292). Compared to their heterosexual peers, sexual minority participants reported lower levels of self-continuity. Self-continuity moderated the associations between victimization due to gender nonconformity and victimization due to sexual minority status and depressive symptoms, such that higher levels of self-continuity were protective among individuals who were experiencing higher levels of victimization due to gender nonconformity or sexual minority status. Findings will be discussed in terms of their implications for identity development among emerging adults.

Efeitos da transição para o 2º ciclo sobre o envolvimento dos alunos em bullying

In last few decades, bullying has been considered a widespread transcultural problem across schools around the world. This phenomenon has a strong negative effect upon school climate and students’ well-being. In the present study we have employed a longitudinal approach, with assessment throughout two consecutive school years to analyze if middle school transition (which, in Portugal, takes place one or two years earlier than in previous published studies) influences bullying and victimization prevalence and behaviors, as well as fear of being bullied. The study also analyzes if boys and girls are equally affected by the transition. Results indicate that, after middle school transition, 5th grade students report a higher prevalence of victimization, higher levels of victimization and bullying behaviors, as well as higher levels of fear of being bullied than before the transition (i.e., 4th grade). The results also indicate that only boys report more often being bullies after the transition. Thus, it is possible to conclude that middle school transition in Portugal is accompanied by an increase in bullying victimization and perpetration, particularly for boys. Therefore, the earlier timing of middle school transition in Portugal seems to enhance its negative effective upon bullying prevalence.

Gender Differences in the Violence Exposure Types That Predict PTSD and Depression in Adolescents.

Both specific forms of violence and polyvictimization have been associated with an increased risk for negative mental health outcomes in youth. Despite evidence of gender differences in trauma experience and impact, gender patterns in the comparative contribution of specific violence exposures versus polyvictimization to mental health outcomes have seldom been explored. The few existing studies have all been conducted in high-income countries, while there is a dearth of research from lower and middle-income countries. This study examined the contribution of witnessed and direct community violence, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and different levels of polyvictimization to the severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in a clinic sample of children and adolescents (n = 310) in South Africa. Although polyvictimization rates were high across both genders, polyvictimization posed differential risks for boys and girls. For girls, higher levels of polyvictimization, but not individual violence types, predicted both PTSD and depression severity. For boys, polyvictimization did not predict PTSD or depression severity. Higher levels of victimization in the community predicted PTSD severity among boys, while no forms of violence predicted depression. The findings confirm the value of examining gender patterns in the risk for posttraumatic sequelae posed by exposure to specific and cumulative forms of violence. Implications for interventions with youth in high-violence contexts such as South Africa are considered.

Victimization and traumatic stress: Pathways to depressive symptoms among low-income, African-American girls.

Socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with increased exposure to victimization and traumatic stress. The present study evaluates longitudinal pathways linking victimization and trauma to depressive symptoms in a socioeconomically disadvantaged sample of African-American adolescent girls seeking mental health services (N = 177, 12-16 years old at baseline). Girls completed four assessments over the course of three years (T1-T4). Depressive symptoms were assessed at T1-T3 using clinical interviews and questionnaires. At T4, lifetime history of victimization and traumatic stressors was evaluated with in-person interviews. Separate structural equation models tested longitudinal pathways from stressor frequency, severity, and duration to depressive symptoms. In all three models, higher levels of victimization and traumatic stressors were associated with significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms. More frequent stressors prior to T1 directly predicted depressive symptoms at T1 and indirectly predicted depressive symptoms at T2, which, in turn, predicted depressive symptoms at T3. A similar pattern emerged in the stressor severity and duration models. Findings support the idea that victimization and traumatic stressors are associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms and that, among treatment-seeking low-income adolescent girls, these effects occur through both direct and indirect paths. Implications of these findings are discussed in the context of the stress-generation and stress proliferation models of psychopathology.

Ecological momentary assessment of contextual variables, satisfaction, and emotional and behavioral states of adolescents by level of victimization

The harmful effects of victimization on mental health have been demonstrated in several age groups, cultures, and populations, but there is wide variability in the resulting psychopathology. Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) allows the expression of an emotional state to be recorded at any given time and linked to a situation or context.This study aimed to analyze the contextual variables (where, with whom, and what), momentary satisfaction, and perception of momentary emotional and behavioral symptoms in a cohort of adolescents by the level of victimization, using EMA. We explored the everyday symptom profiles and the contexts in which events took place among 100 adolescents over a one-week period. Sociodemographic data were collected and assessment was done using the EMA (as a smartphone application) and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (to assess childhood and adolescent victimization). In this study, regarding contextual variables, the group with the highest level of victimization (top 10%) showed a significant relationship with being away from home and being with friends other than classmates, and not being with parents or relatives. There was also an unexpectedly higher frequency of sporting engagement in this group. A relationship existed between emotional and behavioral problems and higher levels of victimization. In conclusion, the different groups of victimized subjects present a relatively high level of satisfaction in relation to the daily contexts and show low levels of emotional and behavioral symptomatology.