Adolescent Victims Research Articles

The Moderating Role of Family Communication in Suicidal Ideation and Victimization in Adolescents.

Traditional peer victimization and cyber-victimization are predictive risk factors for suicidal behavior in adolescents. Family communication is a protective factor that has seldom been studied in the specific problem of suicidal ideation in adolescent victims of traditional victimization and cyber-victimization. The objective of the present study was to use two different moderated mediation models to analyze the direct and indirect-mediating-effects of traditional victimization and cyber-victimization on suicidal ideation in adolescents, as well as the moderating role of family communication in the relationships between traditional victimization, cyber-victimization, and suicidal ideation. 1007 adolescents (51.9% boys) aged 12-18 years participated. Significant direct and indirect effects of traditional victimization and cyber-victimization on suicidal ideation were confirmed. Family communication moderated the direct effects of cyber-victimization on suicidal ideation, but not the direct effects of traditional victimization on suicidal ideation. In addition, it moderated the relationship between traditional victimization and cyber-victimization. Family communication is a protective factor associated with decreased cyber-victimization in adolescents who suffer traditional victimization and reduced suicidal ideation in victims of cyber-victimization.

Lived Experiences of Parents with Adolescent Victims in Cyberspace

Purpose: In the current era, cyberspace has become one of the most concerning issues that can influence the social and psychological world of humans, leading to adverse outcomes for them. A phenomenon that has recently attracted the attention of parents, researchers, and experts is the victimization of adolescent girls in cyberspace. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to identify the factors affecting victimization in cyberspace among adolescent girls, based on the lived experiences of their parents. Methodology: The research method was qualitative and conducted through thematic analysis. The statistical population included parents of female students victimized in cyberspace in secondary school during the 2023-2024 academic year in the city of Isfahan, and the sampling method was purposive. To collect the factors affecting victimization in cyberspace among adolescent girls, semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents, and theoretical saturation was achieved after interviewing 16 parents. In this study, the Guba and Lincoln (1985) method was employed for validating the findings. Data analysis (coding and theme identification) conducted with MAXQDA software for thematic analysis. Findings: In this study, 17 basic themes based on mothers' lived experiences and 19 basic themes based on fathers' lived experiences were extracted. From these basic themes, 8 organizing themes were identified: innate characteristics, lack of skills, dependence on the internet, absence of friendly and intimate family relationships, economic pressure, lack of interest in education, and cyber literacy, which were categorized under 3 overarching themes: individual, familial, and environmental. Conclusion: The study's findings highlight the complex interplay between individual, family, and environmental factors influencing teenage girls' vulnerability in cyberspace. Addressing these factors holistically, through supportive family relationships, educational initiatives, and enhanced digital literacy, is crucial for safeguarding adolescents against online risks.

Feelings expressed by professionals caring for children and teenagers victims of sexual violence.

to describe the feelings expressed by health professionals when caring for child and adolescent victims of sexual violence from the theoretical perspective of Symbolic Interactionism. qualitative research carried out with 30 female health professionals. An instrument was used consisting of closed questions for sociodemographic data and a script with open questions for interviews. The data was organized and analyzed using Nvivo software version 12, according to Bardin's proposal, from the perspective of Symbolic Interactionism in the work of Charles Morris. The project was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. five thematic categories emerged, revealing feelings of empathy, fear, indignation, suffering, and consternation. These feelings remained in the interviewees' memories, making caring for child and adolescent victims of sexual violence a moving and difficult experience that deeply marks the life of the health professional. there is a need to adopt strategies to support the mental health of professionals who work in services that provide general care to children and adolescents, considering that there is a possibility that they will provide care to child and adolescent victims of sexual violence in compliance with pre-existing public policies. (1) Feelings stem from individual impressions in line with social interaction. (2) Caring for child and adolescent victims has a negative impact on professionals' emotions. (3) Service managers need to pay attention to the health of professionals who assist victims.

Longitudinal Association between Bullying Victimization and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Early Adolescents: The Effect of Life Satisfaction

Bullying victimization is associated with an increased risk of depression among adolescents. However, few studies have examined the association between bullying victimization and depressive symptoms, the impact of particular dimensions of life satisfaction on this relationship, and whether these associations vary by gender. A multilevel model (MLM) was used to explore the relationship between 1,611 Chinese early adolescents’ incidence of bullying victimization and depression and life satisfaction’s effect on this relationship (60.5% boys, Mage = 12.48, SD = 0.48 at baseline). Bullying victimization was found to predict a high risk of depression in early adolescence. Further, we observed that life satisfaction mitigated the relationship between bullying victimization and depression; the MLM analysis indicated that these associations somewhat differed between genders. This study emphasized—based on ecological theory—four special dimensions of life satisfaction and bullying victimization in relation to depression risk. Additionally, this study provides novel insights into the correlation between bullying victimization and depression among Chinese early adolescents.

Evolution, the Cognitive Sciences, and the Science of Victimization.

Despite clear aversion to such labels, one of the most impactful criminological theories is rooted in cognitive science. Gottfredson and Hirschi's general theory has been repeatedly tested, replicated relatively well, and has since reached beyond its original scope to explain other important outcomes like victimization. However, the work never viewed itself as part of a larger scientific landscape and resisted the incursion of neuroscience, cognitive science, and evolutionary theory from the start. This missed opportunity contributes to some of the theory's shortcomings. We begin by considering relevant literatures that were originally excluded and then conduct a new analysis examining the cognitive underpinnings of victimization in a high-risk sample of adolescents. We used the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n = 3,444; 48% female; 49% Black, 25% Hispanic) which contained sound measures of self-control and intelligence, as well as four types of adolescent victimization. Self-control was robustly associated with all forms of victimization, whereas intelligence had generally no detectable effect. We discuss how these findings fit into a broader understanding about self-control and victimization.

A Scoping Review of Anti-Bullying Interventions: Reducing Traumatic Effect of Bullying Among Adolescents.

Bullying is a violent activity that causes significant harm to both victims and perpetrators. Anxiety, despair, low self-esteem, and suicidal ideation are signs of bullying's traumatic effect. The social environment's support proved critical in lessening the devastating experience of bullying on adolescents. The purpose of this study is to conduct a scoping Review of Anti-Bullying Interventions with the aim of reporting techniques to reduce traumatic effect of bullying among adolescents. A design scoping review was done in this investigation. The publications were discovered using the PRISMA Extension for Scoping Review method. Three databases were used to find this article: PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus. The inclusion criteria for this study were that the sample included adolescent victims of bullying, that it was full text, that it was written in English, that it included anti-bullying therapies, that it used randomized control trials or quasi-experimental designs, and that it was published during the last ten years (2014-2023). The authors found 16 articles were obtained that explored Anti-bullying therapies to minimize symptoms of trauma in adolescent bullies. All of the studies found that the intervention significantly reduced the effects of bullying on victims (p<0.05). The sample sizes ranged from 31 to 5539 teenage respondents. This study discovered three types of anti-bullying interventions: social support, social skills, and school-based programs. Activities such as education, counseling, and training are used to prevent bullying behavior in schools. Adolescent intervention takes into account the participants' physical and psychological situations and focuses on completing the stages of adolescent development. Interventions to reduce the impact of trauma on bullying victims need to involve health providers, parents, and adolescents. This aims to form a mutually supportive system in overcoming the problem of bullying.

Gambaran Regulasi Emosi Remaja Korban Bullying di Pondok Pesantren Nasyrul Ulum, Kabupaten Sumenep

This research discusses the description of emotional regulation in adolescent victims of bullying at the Nasyrul Ulum Aengdake Islamic Boarding School, Bluto District, Sumenep Regency. Adolescence, as a transitional phase, is often characterized by emotional tension which can trigger delinquent behavior, including bullying. Bullying, as an act of violence, can have serious impacts on victims, including physical injuries and negative effects on concentration and learning patterns. This research began with community service activities aimed at increasing self-resilience and psychological empowerment of teenagers as an effort to overcome bullying. The data collection method in this research was through Focus Group Discussion (FGD). The results of this research explain that bullying that occurs at the Nasyrul Ulum Islamic Boarding School takes various forms, such as teasing, insulting, and even physical violence. The impacts are also varied. Teenagers have their own way of dealing with the negative emotions they are feeling so that the problems they are facing can gradually disappear.

Emotion dysregulation, bullying, and suicide behaviors in adolescents

Background: Among adolescents, rates for suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) remain high. Adolescents also often experience bullying, which has been found to associate with increased risk of suicide attempts and NSSI. Emotion regulation difficulties are associated with both bullying victimization and self-harm behaviors in adolescents. Aims: The current study examined the relationship between emotion dysregulation and suicide attempts and NSSI with bullying as a moderating factor. Method: High school students (n = 804) completed self-report measures on emotion regulation difficulties, suicide attempts, nonsuicidal self-injury, and past-year bullying experiences. Results: Moderation analyses found that the relationships between multiple emotion dysregulation dimensions and suicide attempts were significant regardless of bullying experience, but the relationship was stronger when bullying was present. For NSSI, bullying only moderated the relationships between nonacceptance of emotions, limited emotion regulation strategies and NSSI, with stronger associations when bullying was present. Limitations: Different types of bullying were not assessed, all measures were self-report, and the community sample had relatively low clinical severity. Conclusion: Results indicate that poor emotion regulation and bullying victimization associate with greater frequencies of suicidal and nonsuicidal behaviors. These findings point to the need for self-harm prevention programs to address both bullying and emotion regulation skills.

Factors Affecting the Resilience of Adolescent Victims of Cyberbullying in Dual-Earner Families

Adolescents are the age group that uses social media the most and is the age group most vulnerable to becoming perpetrators or victims of cyberbullying. This research generally aims to analyze differences based on region, relationship, and the influence of parent-adolescent interactions and coping strategies on adolescent resilience. This research uses a quantitative approach and cross-sectional study design using survey and questionnaire methods. Sampling was carried out using purposive sampling with a total sample of 98 adolescents. This research was located in Bogor Regency and City, West Java. The results of the independent t-test showed that there are significant differences in adolescent resilience based on region. The results of the correlation test show that adolescent age has a significant negative correlation with the dimensions of self-acceptance. Family size has a negative correlation with parent-adolescent interactions. Correlation test results show that parent-adolescent interaction and coping strategies significantly correlate with adolescent resilience. The results of regression tests show that region, mother's education, parent-adolescent interactions, and coping strategies significantly positively affect adolescent resilience. The parents-adolescent interaction, coping strategies, and resilience in adolescents in this study are mostly still in the moderate category, so they still need to be improved.

A Systematic Review of Evidence-Based Treatments for Adolescent and Adult Sexual Assault Victims.

Sexual assault (SA) is a serious crime that is a prevalent mental and public health problem. Addressing the needs of SA victims and providing appropriate treatment are essential to reduce potential adverse short- and long-term outcomes. Our team undertook an extensive systematic literature review (published between January 2006 and July 2021) to provide evidence-based mental health intervention recommendations for adolescent and adult victims of SA. Where SA-specific research was limited, the literature and clinical practice guidelines on treatments for trauma-induced post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were reviewed to provide additional information to formulate recommendations. Findings strongly support several primary psychotherapy treatments: cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive processing therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, narrative exposure therapy, and prolonged exposure therapy. Complementary (aerobic exercise, art, drama, and music therapy) and pharmacological treatments were explored. Mental health nurses who provide services for victims of SA can utilize this overview to guide recommendations for treatment of SA trauma and related PTSD symptoms to mitigate the short- and long-term negative impacts after a traumatic event. When victims of SA receive optimal mental health treatments, our communities benefit as victims heal and recover.

Relationship Between Bully Victimization and Emotional Difficulty in Adolescence: Hope and School Connectedness as Mediator

Relationship Between Bully Victimization and Emotional Difficulty in Adolescence: Hope and School Connectedness as Mediator

Prevalence and Quantification of the Effects of Sexual Harassment Victimization of School-Aged Adolescents.

Sexual harassment has become a serious social and public health problem in adolescents, causing adverse effects on mental health. Nevertheless, some behaviours arise that, due to their characteristics, might be misinterpreted as sexual harassment. A field study using a survey with non-probabilistic accidental sampling was designed in order to estimate the prevalence of sexual harassment victimization in the Spanish adolescent population as well as to quantify the harms. A total of 1028 Spanish adolescents, 54.3% females and 45.7% males aged 13-17 years (M = 15.21, SD = 1.03), responded to a diagnostic measure of sexual harassment victimization and an inventory measure of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems (MHPs). The results showed a significant prevalence of diagnosed sexual harassment victimization of school-aged adolescents, 24.1%, 95% CI [0.215, 0.267], with adverse effects on internalizing and externalizing MHPs. As for the internalizing MHPs, the results exhibited moderate adverse effects on depression, anxiety, somatic burns, posttraumatic symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, as well as mild adverse effects on social anxiety. Regarding externalizing MHPs, the results revealed moderate adverse effects on hyperactivity-impulsivity, anger control, and antisocial behaviour, as well as mild adverse effects on attention problems, aggression, and defiant behaviour. In addition, it was confirmed that sexual harassment victimization affects adolescent females to a greater extent, with the effect being significantly greater in internalizing than in externalizing MHPs. The results obtained are discussed and future lines of research and intervention are proposed to promote the implementation of prevention and intervention programs that address this phenomenon and, in turn, improve the physical, psychological, and social well-being of adolescents.

Bullying victimization among in-school adolescents in Sierra Leone: A cross-sectional analysis of the 2017 Sierra Leone Global School-Based Health Survey.

Adolescent bullying victimization is recognized as a public health and mental health problem in many countries. However, data on bullying victimization's prevalence and risk factors is scarce in sub-Saharan Africa Sierra Leone. This research aimed to determine bullying victimization prevalence and its associated factors among Sierra Leonean school-going adolescents. The Sierra Leone 2017 Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) dataset was analyzed. The outcome variable was the respondent's self-report of bullying victimization ("How many days in the previous 30 days were you bullied?"). Descriptive, Pearson chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses were conducted. The regression analysis yielded adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and a significance level of p 0.05. Bullying victimization was prevalent among 48.7% of the in-school adolescents. Adolescents who drank alcohol [aOR = 2.48, 95% CI = 1.50-4.10], who reported feelings of loneliness [aOR = 1.51, 95% CI = 1.07-2.14] and who had attempted suicide [aOR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.03-2.87] were also more likely to be bullied. Also, school truancy [aOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.24-1.88] among teenagers was associated with an increased risk of being bullied. Our findings suggest that bullying is a widespread problem among Sierra Leonean school-aged youth, and alcohol drinking, loneliness, suicide attempt and school truancy are potential risk factors. In light of the aforementioned causes of bullying in schools, policymakers and school administrators in Sierra Leone need to develop and execute anti-bullying policies and initiatives that target the underlying risk factors of bullying among teenagers.

“You can’t just make gay people disappear”: Young adolescent LGBTQIA+s’ advice for middle level educators

Young adolescents who are LGBTQIA+ often encounter hostile experiences while in middle level schools. Researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 young adolescents who are LGBTQIA+ at two middle schools to determine their experiences. Students report the ages at which they realized their gender and sexual identities: Five reveal recognizing their identities before they entered sixth grade. Respondents provide examples of how they are often mistreated and disrespected by fellow students and teachers. Students offer advice to middle level educators for how to protect and support them as they interact with teachers and fellow students. Differences between gender identity and sexual orientation are provided to assist educators in understanding the distinction and its significance. Current sexual and gender identity vocabularies are provided, as is a rationale to avoid labeling anyone who is LGBTQIA+ as “diverse” or with the phrase, “identifies as.” Three types of victimization of adolescents who are LGBTQIA+ that often occur at school are identified: staff-sanctioned victimization, direct victimization, and indirect victimization. The effects of victimization are described as are suggestions for circumventing these behaviors. We offer strategies to help educators identify and address heteronormative beliefs and resultant negative policies. Suggestions are provided for how to create safe and equitable environments in middle level schools for students who are LGBTQIA+.

Developmental interactions between peer victimization and depressive symptoms in adolescents: A latent change score analysis.

Peer victimization and depressive symptoms are highly relevant risks during adolescence. Understanding the dynamic patterns of interactions between peer victimization and depressive symptoms as well as gender differences in these variables can improve intervention strategies for adolescents navigating this critical transition period. In the present study, a large sample of Chinese adolescents reported peer victimization and depressive symptoms in four survey waves at six-month intervals. A total of 2534 adolescents (51.9% boys, M = 12.98 ± 0.60 years) were included in the latent change score (LCS) analysis. The results supported the reciprocal effects model obtained in the full sample. Changes in peer victimization were influenced by prior changes in depressive symptoms over time, and changes in depressive symptoms were influenced by prior levels of peer victimization. There were also gender differences, with boys exhibiting depressive symptom-driven effects on peer victimization, while girls exhibiting peer victimization-induced depressive symptoms. The dynamic relationships between peer victimization and depressive symptoms that promote and constrain each other in adolescents are elucidated in this study. Differentiating effects on boys and girls is crucial for enhancing the effectiveness of practical interventions.

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.

Bullying victimization and its life-course shadows: evidence from China

Adolescent bullying victimization and its associations with short- and long-term educational and psychological outcomes in China have been rarely studied. Utilizing a 15-year longitudinal dataset, we adopt a life-course perspective to examine how adolescent bullying victimization is linked to educational and psychological outcomes in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood in China. The results support the academic protection hypothesis, i.e., prior academic achievement protects against subsequent bullying victimization. Adolescent bullying victimization has significant, adverse implications for educational achievement and behavioral problems in the short term. In the long term, as adolescents transition into young adulthood, the adverse implications of bullying victimization persist only for educational attainment, not for adulthood self-esteem and depression in general. Additionally, there are notable gender differences in the implications of adolescent bullying victimization. In the short term, adolescent bullying victimization is negatively associated with educational achievement only for girls. In the long term, girls are more likely to experience adverse psychological outcomes, such as higher levels of adulthood depression, from prior bullying victimization, while boys are more prone to have lower educational attainment due to adolescent bullying victimization.

Analysis of the different roles of teen dating violence in peer victimization and aggression

Different studies show the relationship between peer violence and teen dating violence. However, more knowledge is needed about this relationship. The aim of this study was to explore possible differences in peer violence (perpetrated and suffered) in adolescents with different role in teen dating violence (aggressor, victim, aggressor-victim, and not involved). The initial sample was composed of 1078 adolescents, but for the purposes of this study, only those students who had a partner in the last year were considered, 672 students (51.6% girls) aged 12-18 years (M= 14.45, SD= 1.62). These adolescents completed the CADRI scale, the VE-I peer victimization scale, and the violent behavior scale by Little et al. (2003). The results indicated that peer violence victimization and perpetration were closely related to dating abuse (victimization and perpetration) in adolescents. Students with frequent aggressor-victim role in partner relationships showed more peer violence behaviors. Girls victims of teen dating violence were more victimized by their classmates. These results show a strong relationship between these two problems, which seriously affect the well-being of adolescents.

The Association between Family Environment and Subsequent Risk of Cyberbullying Victimization in Adolescents

BackgroundFamily environment and parental monitoring have long been recognized as two important factors associated with adolescents’ psychological development. Studies have suggested a potential link between parenting style/parental engagement and the likelihood of bullying victimization among adolescents. Nonetheless, no studies to date have investigated the association between family environment and the subsequent risk of cyberbullying victimization among adolescents. In this study, we assessed the association between family environment (eg, parental monitoring and family conflict) and subsequent risk of cyberbullying victimization using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD). MethodsWe used multivariable logistic regressions to assess the association between parental monitoring and family conflict at year 1 and the subsequent risk of cyberbullying victimization at year 2 in 10,410 eligible ABCD study participants. ResultsAdjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, study sampling weights and study site, higher levels of parental monitoring at year 1 were associated with a lower reported past 12-month (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.50–0.75) history of cyberbullying victimization at year 2. Higher levels of family conflict at year 1 were associated with a higher risk of reported past 12-month history (OR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04–1.16) of cyberbullying victimization one year later. ConclusionHigher levels of parental monitoring and lower levels of family conflict are associated with a subsequent lower risk of cyberbullying victimization among adolescents. Cyberbullying victimization preventive programs should advocate for increased parental monitoring and minimize family conflict at home to reduce the risks of cyberbullying victimization among adolescents.

The Interplay of Peer Victimization and Parasympathetic Nervous System Activity on Acute Inflammatory Stress Responses in Adolescence.

This study examined the extent to which adolescent peer victimization predicted acute inflammatory responses to stress, and whether both resting parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity and PNS stress reactivity moderated this association. 83 adolescents (Mage = 14.89, SDage = 0.52, 48% female) reported their history of peer victimization and were exposed to a standardized social stress task before and after which dried blood spot samples were collected to assay inflammatory markers. Inflammatory responses to the stress task were assessed with a latent inflammatory change factor using the cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). PNS functioning, indexed by high-frequency heart rate variability, was measured at rest and during the stressor. Contrary to hypotheses, analyses revealed no direct relation between peer victimization and acute inflammatory responses, and resting PNS activity did not moderate this association. However, peer victimization predicted stronger inflammatory responses among adolescents with weaker PNS reactivity to the stress task (b = 0.63, p = .02). This association was not observed among adolescents with stronger PNS reactivity, for whom a negative but non-significant trend was found. Weaker PNS reactivity may thus indicate victimized adolescents' vulnerability for acute inflammatory responses, whereas stronger PNS reactivity may indicate adolescents' resilience to a social stressor.