History Of Victimization Research Articles

Attentional bias for sad facial expressions in adults with a history of peer victimization.

Previous research has indicated altered attentional processing in individuals with experiences of maltreatment or victimization in childhood and adolescence. The present study examined the impact of child and adolescent experiences of relational peer victimization on attentional processes in adulthood when confronted with emotional facial expressions. As part of an online study, a community sample of adults completed a facial dot-probe task. In the present task, pictures of facial expressions displaying four different emotions (anger, disgust, happiness, and sadness) were used. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that retrospective reports of peer victimization made a significant contribution to the prediction of facilitated orienting processes for sad facial expressions. Experiences of emotional child maltreatment, on the other hand, made a significant contribution to the prediction of attentional biases for angry facial expressions. Our results emphasize the relevance of experiences of emotional and relational maltreatment in childhood and in adolescence for the processing of social stimuli in adulthood. The findings regarding emotional child maltreatment are more indicative of attentional biases in the context of threat detection, whereas the altered attentional processes in peer victimization are more indicative of mood-congruent biases. These altered processes may be active in social situations and may therefore influence future social situations, behavior, feelings, and thus mental health.

Resilience and Challenges Among Women With Histories of Addiction and Victimization Newly Admitted to a Sober Living Home: A Brief Report.

This study examined strengths (i.e., empowerment, purpose) and challenges (i.e., depressive and posttraumatic stress disorder symptomatology, financial and housing worries) experienced by women (N = 44) with histories of addiction and victimization newly admitted to a sober living home (SLH). Women had moderate to high levels of both strengths and challenges. In general, strengths and challenges were inversely related (e.g., higher purpose was related to lower depression), and challenges were positively related (e.g., higher financial worries were related to higher posttraumatic stress symptoms). The findings remind us that women entering SLHs have myriad needs and that comprehensive services drawing upon women's resilience are needed.

Is the Risk for Sexual Revictimization Cumulative? AProspective Examination.

Sexual abuse during childhood is associated with risk for sexual assault as an adult, known as revictimization. Although multiple experiences of sexual assault in adulthood are also common, it is unclear how risk trajectories might continue to evolve in emerging adulthood, defined as ages 18-25. Clarifying risk trajectories is important to inform the development of targeted risk reduction interventions. To fill this gap, we examined cumulative risk for sexual assault in emerging adult women following multiple experiences of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and adulthood sexual assault (ASA). Women (n=447; aged 18-25years at enrollment) completed behaviorally specific assessments of unwanted sexual experiences at up to 9 time points across 3years. Logistic regression was used to predict any sexual assault during the 3-year period as a function of victimization history at baseline. A multilevel logistic regression analysis among ASA survivors was then used to determine whether each successive ASA increased risk for further victimization. Extending prior research, findings revealed that the risk for sexual assault during the 3-year study was greater for women reporting more prior experiences of CSA and ASA. Unexpectedly, each ASA increased the risk for a subsequent ASA to a lesser extent among women with more experiences of CSA. Findings suggest that the risk for sexual revictimization can be cumulative, but that risk does not increase indefinitely. Future research should investigate the points at which survivors of multiple assaults may begin to experience a decreased risk for later assaults, as well as the factors associated with change in risk status (e.g., removal from violent environments or relationships, changes in institutional policies). Such research could inform intervention targets.

Group identification moderates the effect of historical trauma availability on historical trauma symptoms and conspiracy beliefs

AbstractHistorical trauma may cast a shadow over the lives of subsequent generations of victimised groups. We examine the buffering role of victimised group identification on the association between the cognitive availability of historical trauma, historical trauma symptoms, and conspiracy beliefs. Two studies conducted in Poland (Study 1: Ukrainian minority, N = 92; Study 2: ethnic Poles; N = 227) revealed that among highly identified group members (compared to those with low levels of group identification), the relation between the cognitive availability of historical trauma and historical trauma symptoms was weaker. Study 2 additionally showed that the consequences of historical trauma are detectable among members of historically victimised groups, regardless of their own family history of victimisation, and that the cognitive availability of historical trauma correlates positively with conspiracy beliefs.

Understanding female survivors of interpersonal trauma and their experience of the ‘Survive & Thrive’ course

The majority of publications have concentrated on individual psychological interventions with a limited focus on manualized group-based approaches for those presenting with mental health difficulties following a history of trauma. Survive & Thrive (S&T) is a psychoeducational course designed for survivors of interpersonal trauma which utilizes cognitive behavioural skills training while delivering psychoeducation on how a history of victimization can impact on the survivors’ life. This qualitative study was designed to gain an insight into female survivors of interpersonal trauma experience of S&T and the associated group dynamics component to evaluate this psychological intervention. The participants described their experience of S&T as a journey towards recovery. The study highlights the benefits of group-based interventions in regard to learning experience within a social context whilst also identifying areas for further development based on the participants’ feedback.

Minority Stress and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms in the Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Community

Prior findings have provided preliminary evidence that minority stress may be related to posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) in the transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) community. To contribute to the existing literature, the authors examined the relationship between distal stressors and PTSSs after controlling for history of sexual victimization. The authors also tested proximal stressors as mechanisms in that relationship. A sample of 242 adult participants who identified on the TGNC spectrum completed an online survey of minority stress, sexual victimization history, and PTSSs. The results demonstrated a positive association between distal stress and PTSSs, above and beyond history of sexual victimization. The authors also found that negative expectations about future events mediated the association between distal stress and PTSSs after controlling for sexual victimization history. The findings are discussed in terms of clinical implications and future directions for the field.

Rape Myth Acceptance in a Community Sample of Adult Women in the Post #MeToo Era.

Rape myth acceptance (RMA) is commonly targeted in anti-rape activism (e.g., the #MeToo Movement) and prevention work due to its association with perpetration, risk of victimization, survivor outcomes, and injustices in the criminal legal system. The 22-item updated Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance (uIRMA) scale is a widely used, reliable measure for assessing this construct; however, it has primarily been validated within samples of U.S. college students. To assess the factor structure and reliability of this measure for community samples of adult women, we analyzed uIRMA data from 356 U.S. women (age 25-35) collected via CloudResearch's MTurk toolkit. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated high internal reliability for the overall scale (α = .92) and supported a five-factor structure (subscales: She Asked For It, He Didn't Mean To, He Didn't Mean To [Intoxication], It Wasn't Really Rape, She Lied) with good model fit. The rape myth ''He Didn't Mean To'' was most highly endorsed in the overall sample, while ''It Wasn't Really Rape'' was endorsed the least. Analyses of RMA and participant characteristics demonstrated that women identifying as politically conservative, religious (predominantly Christian), or heterosexual endorsed rape myth constructs at significantly higher rates. Education level, social media use, and victimization history yielded mixed findings across RMA subscales, while age, race/ethnicity, income level, and regional location showed no associations with RMA. Findings suggest the uIRMA is an appropriate measure of RMA in community samples of adult women; however, the field would benefit from more consistent administration of the scale (i.e., 19-item vs. 22-item version; directionality of Likert-type scale) to allow for comparability across time and samples. Rape prevention work should target ideological adherence to patriarchal and other oppressive belief systems which may represent a common underlying factor across groups of women showing higher endorsement of RMA.

History of Victimization, Behavioral and Emotional Problems among Juvenile Delinquents in Child Correction Homes

The juvenile justice system identifies youth in conflict with the law as different from the adult criminal population. The Correctional and re-integrative approach forms the basis of a good juvenile justice system. The rationale for such interventions remains to identify risk factors and protective factors for delinquency. History of victimization has been recognized as one of the risk factors for juvenile delinquency. In this context, a cross-sectional study was conducted with 160 adolescents (with a history of juvenile delinquency) residing in Child Correction Homes of Bhaktapur and Kaski districts to study the history of victimization its effect on behavioral and emotional problems. Nepalese versions of the Reduced Item Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ) and Strength and Difficulty Questionnaire (SDQ) were used for the study. Of the participants (N=149), 93.96 % reported at least 1 victimization and 79.19% reported lifetime exposure to 3 or more different types of victimization. Total score in JVQ was a significant predictor for Hyperactivity, Emotional Problems, Peer Problems, and Total Difficulty Score of SDQ. These findings point toward the need to further study these aspects of delinquency in the Nepalese context.

Organization of Pre-hospital Care for Traumatic Injuries of Blood Vessels

820 case histories of victims with vascular trauma operated in the vascular department of the Osh Interregional Joint Clinical Hospital and territorial district hospitals for 2011-2020 were studied. It was found out that 96.7% of the victims did not receive any assistance before the arrival of a medical worker or their delivery to a medical institution. 650 citizens from various strata of the population and 152 urgent surgeons and traumatologists of Osh and Osh region were surveyed. It was found out that the absolute majority of the population will not master the knowledge and skills of first aid, and most importantly, they believe that the provision of first aid in case of injury should be carried out exclusively by emergency medical personnel or other medical professionals. Organizational and tactical proposals are given to improve the results of pre-hospital care for victims.

The Association between Physical and Psychological Domestic Violence Experienced during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Mental Health Symptoms.

Research has shown that rates of domestic violence generally increased during the coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, likely related to mitigation efforts that promoted staying at home and lockdown protocols. However, the link between pandemic-related domestic violence victimization and mental health outcomes has been less explored. The present study examined the possible association between exposure to domestic physical and psychological violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) in an online sample of American adults recruited in December 2021. Data from 604 participants were analyzed. Forty-four percent of participants (n = 266) reported experiencing physical domestic violence, psychological domestic violence, or both during the pandemic, with psychological violence more commonly reported than physical violence. Exposure to both forms of violence was associated with higher rates of depressive and post-traumatic stress symptoms. Given the high rates and negative associations between psychological domestic violence and mental health symptoms in this sample, healthcare providers should assess for domestic violence exposure even if no indications of physical abuse are present or if there were not concerns about domestic violence exposure prior to the pandemic. Potential psychological sequalae should also be assessed if a patient has a positive history of domestic violence victimization.

Examining the Roles of Prior Victimization, Perpetrator Identity and the Correlates of Female Rape Myth Acceptance Among Indian Females.

This research attempts to address a widely under-explained phenomenon of female rape myth acceptance (RMA) among the female population. A total number of 500 literate women from India with a mean age of 28.89years were selected to examine the different determinants of their RMA. The research explored the important correlates of RMA among women, where the stepwise regression model revealed the significant impact of sexual desires, rejection sensitivity, loneliness, and neuroticism/emotional stability on their RMA. This further implied that women high on these four constructs run a 17.7% chance of endorsing female rape myths. The model eliminated the construct of online pornography usage, owing to its non-significant impact on RMA. Further, it was revealed that the history of prior victimization had a significant effect on the rape myths endorsed by the women. The study also reflected on the identity of the perpetrators of the women with a prior victimization history, where 55.43% reported it was perpetrated by a "known" person in their last experienced assault (and 44.57% "stranger" perpetrator). Whereas most women were victimized by "known" perpetrators, there was no significant difference in the sample's RMA, between the perpetrator identity groups (known and stranger perpetrators). The research concretely adds novel knowledge on identifying and predicting the female rape supportive attitudes among females.

The Role of Pre-Treatment Traumatic Stress Symptoms in Adolescent Substance Use Treatment Outcomes

Background: Prominent theories suggest that individuals with co-occurring traumatic stress symptoms (TSS) and substance use (SU) may be less responsive to SU treatment compared to those with SU only. However, empirical findings in adult samples are mixed, and there has been limited work among adolescents. This study assesses the association between TSS and SU treatment outcomes among trauma-exposed adolescents, using statistical methods to reduce potential confounding from important factors such as baseline SU severity. Method: 2,963 adolescents with lifetime history of victimization received evidence-based SU treatment in outpatient community settings. At baseline, 3- and 6-months, youth were assessed using the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs Traumatic Stress Scale and the Substance Frequency Scale. Propensity score weighting was used to mitigate potential confounding due to baseline differences in sociodemographic characteristics and SU across youth with varying levels of TSS. Results: Propensity score weighting successfully balanced baseline differences in sociodemographic factors and baseline SU across youth. Among all youth, mean SU was lower at both 3- and 6- month follow-up relative to baseline, indicating declining use. After adjusting for potential confounders, we observed no statistically significant relationship between TSS and SU at either 3- or 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: Based on this investigation, conducted among a large sample of trauma-exposed youth receiving evidence-based outpatient SU treatment, baseline TSS do not appear to be negatively associated with SU treatment outcomes. However, future research should examine whether youth with TSS achieve better outcomes through integrative treatment for both SU and TSS.

Substance Use and Violence Victimization Among Women: A Review of Relevant Literature

A review of the recent scientific literature on the relationship between substance use and violence victimization among women in the United States is presented. Systematic review methodology adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses guidelines. In total, 15 studies were identified that met inclusion criteria. There is substantial evidence suggesting substance use (e.g., severity of use, types of substances used) is associated with women's violent victimization histories. Evidence suggests that women are uniquely situated in illicit drug markets and other illicit economies in a manner that increases their risk for violent victimization. The strengths and shortcomings of current theoretical explanations of substance use and violence victimization are discussed, as well as considerations for future research and interventions.

Adolescents at risk of mental health problems in the COVID‐19 pandemic: A prospective population‐based study of the effects of government mandates and school closures

AbstractThere is increasing evidence that the COVID‐19 pandemic has had substantial mental health impacts for adolescents. Yet, few definitive studies have investigated which adolescents were at higher risk of poor mental health and well‐being during the pandemic. Data were drawn from the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study, a prospective cohort study of students in Australia (N = 1211). Prevalence of mental health outcomes (depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, self‐harm and good subjective well‐being) was estimated in school Years 5–12, where Years 11 (2020) and 12 (2021) coincided with the pandemic. The age‐ and sex‐adjusted relative risk of each mental health outcome for each priority group during the pandemic were estimated. During the pandemic, over 50% of study participants reported depressive symptoms, and one quarter reported anxiety symptoms. There was a decrease in good subjective well‐being compared with pre‐pandemic years, while self‐harm prevalence remained similar. History of mental health problems, school disengagement and frequent peer victimisation increased the risk of experiencing mental health problems during the pandemic. Schools play a central role in maintaining the mental health and good subjective well‐being of students, and this is particularly important during periods of social disruption, such as the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Gynecological Health Complaints Among College Women With Sexual Victimization Histories: Examination of Depression and Anxiety as Potential Mediators.

The study's purpose was to examine the relation between sexual victimization history and gynecological health complaints among college women. A further aim was to explore whether anxiety and depression are mediators of this relation, as well as to examine the size of these indirect relations among individuals with different types of victimization histories (childhood sexual abuse, adolescent/adult sexual assault, combined childhood sexual abuse/adolescent/adult sexual assault). A sample of 1,759 undergraduate cisgender women attending a large Southeastern U.S. university completed online measures of lifetime sexual victimization history, current anxiety and depression, and current gynecological health complaints (dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, vaginal discharge, pain during urination, and pelvic pain). Mediation analyses with bootstrapping were conducted to explore the relations among study variables. College women with a history of sexual victimization were significantly more likely to report experiencing the gynecological health complaints in the past month than women with no sexual victimization history (all ps<.05). There was a significant indirect path from sexual victimization to gynecological health complaints through both anxiety and depression for all three victimization types (βs=0.12-0.26). The indirect paths were stronger for women with combined childhood sexual abuse/adolescent/adult sexual assault histories as compared with the other two types of victimization history. Health care providers working with college women should implement a trauma-informed approach to addressing gynecological health complaints that recognizes that sexual victimization survivors are at an increased risk for these issues. Further, anxiety and depression represent possible mechanisms of risk for gynecological health complaints among survivors.

Literary Representation of Natives in Indian Regional Literature-A Vast Panorama of Indigenous Culture, Imperialism and Resistance

Indian English fiction writing shows the development of Indian literature which takes a dive deep into the colonial past of India along with the detail observation of the history of deviation of social strata and its psychological effects on common masses of India. Social realism was checked through the early independence period of English writing. In Indian English fiction writing, partition trauma was glorified, celebrated as the main theme and Gandhian age is also described by most of the prominent novelist like Raja Rao, Chaman Nahal, and Khushwant Singh. The women novelists took the initiative after the independent period and Kamala Markandeya, Ruth P. Jabhawala, Shashi Deshpande, Geeta Hariharan, Anita Nair and Namita Gokhale have shown the rebellious feminism though their postcolonial sensibilities. If we want to write historical, social and cultural literature of India, we do not have escapism from the history of adivasi victimization and several adivasi harassments of centuries in India.

Religiosity and hazardous substance use: The moderating role of trauma-related shame.

Hazardous substance use is a major public health concern among individuals with a history of sexual victimization. Although increased religiosity has been known to serve as a protective factor against hazardous substance use, religious individuals with a history of sexual victimization may be at a greater risk for hazardous substance use due to difficulties reconciling sexual victimization with their religious beliefs. Individuals with greater trauma-related shame may engage in hazardous substance use as a means of coping with the traumatic event. The present study consisted of 614 participants (Mage = 34.57, 50% women). Results suggested that organizational, nonorganizational, and intrinsic religiosity were positively associated with hazardous alcohol use at higher, but not lower, levels of trauma-related shame. Organizational and intrinsic religiosity were positively associated with hazardous drug use at higher, but not lower, levels of trauma-related shame. This is the first study to examine the role of trauma-related shame in the relationship between religiosity and hazardous substance use. The findings underline the importance of targeting trauma-related shame in religious individuals with a history of sexual victimization.

Sexual Victimization and Suicide Ideation: An Atemporal Indirect Effects Model

Introduction Suicide is a major public health concern among young adults. Moreover, college students are at elevated risk for sexual victimization, which is associated with elevated suicide risk. Nonetheless, not all college student survivors of sexual victimization think about suicide. Previous research has used the interpersonal psychological theory of suicide (IPTS) as a framework for understanding the association between interpersonal violence victimization and suicide ideation The current study aimed to replicate and extend the results of Poindexter et al. AQ1] by testing the serial indirect effects of IPTS constructs in the relationship between sexual victimization and suicide ideation among a sexually-victimized sample of college students. It was expected that depressive symptoms, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness, in that order, would indirectly affect the association between cumulative sexual victimization history and suicide ideation in the past month. Method Data were collected from 796 college students via online survey. After exclusion criteria, 236 college students who reported at least one lifetime experience of sexual victimization were included in analysis. Results Results indicated that the relationship between cumulative sexual victimization and past-month suicide ideation frequency was indirectly affected by depressive symptoms, thwarted belongingness, and perceived burdensomeness, in serial. Discussion Results indicated that the indirect effects model proposed by Poindexter et al. was significant in that more frequent lifetime sexual victimization related to more frequent past-month suicide ideation, and this relationship was strengthened indirectly by depressive symptoms, TB, and PB, in that order. Results underscore the importance of screening survivors of sexual victimization for suicide ideation and associated risk factors, specifically depressive symptoms, TB, and PB.

Anxiety and Aggressive Behavior in Adolescents: A Correlational Study

Background: Aggressive behavior has become a severe behavioral problem in adolescents recently. Some cases have even been deemed an emergency for mental health behavior in adolescents. Many factors are suspected to be associated with aggressive behavior, one of which is anxiety. Anxiety and aggressive behavior remain widely studied in children, but the number of studies is limited to middle and late adolescents. In addition, there is no clear description of the psychosocial aspects between anxiety and aggressive behavior in adolescents based on the psychosocial development tasks. Objective: The study aims to identify the association between adolescents’ anxiety and aggressive behavior.Methods: The research used an analytical correlation design with a cross-sectional approach. The research was conducted in senior high schools in Surakarta in July 2021. Subjects were taken using convenience sampling, in which 626 students filled out the online questionnaire, while 32 students did not complete some items resulting in a total sample of 594 respondents. Then, the research instruments employed DASS 21 for anxiety and Buss Perry Questionnaire for aggressive behavior. The statistical analysis then utilized the Pearson product-moment test.Results: The research revealed that most respondents were female (67,8%). The respondents had a bullying victim history (44.8%), a violence victim history (13.3%), and parental divorce history (10.3%). The statistical test also uncovered a significant correlation between anxiety and aggressive behavior (p-value 0.0001, r: 0.649, OR:7.86, CI 95%).Conclusion: The finding demonstrates the association between adolescents’ anxiety and aggressive behavior. Consequently, the community mental health nurses should organize a partnership mental health program with the senior high schools to manage adolescent anxiety and aggressive behavior

A cross-sectional examination of sexual victimization and heavy episodic drinking among high school students

Sexual victimization is an important risk factor for problematic alcohol use across the lifespan. Heavy episodic drinking (HED) among high school students is associated with numerous negative physical, psychological, and academic outcomes. Whereas previous research has examined the association between a history of sexual victimization and HED in young adult and adult samples, far less research is focused on high school youth. Accordingly, the present study aims to determine the association between history of sexual victimization and HED among high school students (N = 1,844), in the context of individual (i.e., gender, sexual orientation), peer- (i.e., perceived peer norms), and community-level factors (i.e., school connectedness). Binomial logistic regression analysis showed that among girls, lifetime history of sexual victimization, peer engagement in violence, and perceived peer support for violence were positively associated with HED and school connectedness was negatively associated with HED. Among boys, whereas perceived peer support for violence was positively associated with HED, school connectedness was negatively associated with HED. Self-identifying as lesbian, gay, or bisexual was not associated with HED for girls or boys. Findings elucidate the importance of addressing sexual victimization, perceptions of school connectedness, and perceptions of peer support for violence in the context of substance use prevention programs for youth.