The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people

Childhood victimization impacts on the well-being of children and young people, particularly those experiencing an extreme amount of different types of victimization (i.e., poly-victims). However, limited attention has been given to the impact of different categories of extrafamilial victimization (...

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Main Authors: Jackson-Hollis, Vicki, Joseph, Stephen, Browne, Kevin
Format: Article
Published: Elsevier 2017
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Online Access:https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43576/
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author Jackson-Hollis, Vicki
Joseph, Stephen
Browne, Kevin
author_facet Jackson-Hollis, Vicki
Joseph, Stephen
Browne, Kevin
author_sort Jackson-Hollis, Vicki
building Nottingham Research Data Repository
collection Online Access
description Childhood victimization impacts on the well-being of children and young people, particularly those experiencing an extreme amount of different types of victimization (i.e., poly-victims). However, limited attention has been given to the impact of different categories of extrafamilial victimization (experienced outside of the family), particularly in the UK. The intricacies of the significant detrimental impact poly-victimization has on victims are also poorly understood. In this study, 730 young people, aged 13 to 16 years (mean 13.8 years), from one county in the UK, were surveyed about their lifetime and past year experiences of extrafamilial victimization, the locations in which these occurred, and current trauma symptoms. The results showed that interpersonal forms of extrafamilial victimization (e.g., sexual victimization) were significant predictors of trauma, whilst more indirect forms of extrafamilial victimization (e.g., witnessing the victimization of others) were not. When extrafamilial poly-victimization and number of extrafamilial victim locations were accounted for within regression models, however, this impact was reduced. Poly-victimization within the past year was the strongest predictor of trauma symptoms. Number of victim locations did not significantly predict trauma symptoms above and beyond the impact of poly-victimization, although it was a contributory predictor. These findings suggest that a holistic exploration of a young person's extrafamilial victim experiences is needed in any clinical assessment or research into its psychological impact. Specifically, attention should be given to the experiencing of extreme levels of victimization (e.g., poly-victimization). Further longitudinal research is needed to understand why poly-victimization has the greatest impact on psychological well-being.
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spelling nottingham-435762020-05-04T18:48:30Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43576/ The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people Jackson-Hollis, Vicki Joseph, Stephen Browne, Kevin Childhood victimization impacts on the well-being of children and young people, particularly those experiencing an extreme amount of different types of victimization (i.e., poly-victims). However, limited attention has been given to the impact of different categories of extrafamilial victimization (experienced outside of the family), particularly in the UK. The intricacies of the significant detrimental impact poly-victimization has on victims are also poorly understood. In this study, 730 young people, aged 13 to 16 years (mean 13.8 years), from one county in the UK, were surveyed about their lifetime and past year experiences of extrafamilial victimization, the locations in which these occurred, and current trauma symptoms. The results showed that interpersonal forms of extrafamilial victimization (e.g., sexual victimization) were significant predictors of trauma, whilst more indirect forms of extrafamilial victimization (e.g., witnessing the victimization of others) were not. When extrafamilial poly-victimization and number of extrafamilial victim locations were accounted for within regression models, however, this impact was reduced. Poly-victimization within the past year was the strongest predictor of trauma symptoms. Number of victim locations did not significantly predict trauma symptoms above and beyond the impact of poly-victimization, although it was a contributory predictor. These findings suggest that a holistic exploration of a young person's extrafamilial victim experiences is needed in any clinical assessment or research into its psychological impact. Specifically, attention should be given to the experiencing of extreme levels of victimization (e.g., poly-victimization). Further longitudinal research is needed to understand why poly-victimization has the greatest impact on psychological well-being. Elsevier 2017-05-31 Article PeerReviewed Jackson-Hollis, Vicki, Joseph, Stephen and Browne, Kevin (2017) The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people. Child Abuse & Neglect, 67 . pp. 349-361. ISSN 1873-7757 Extrafamilial victimization; Internalizing problems; Trauma; Poly-victimization; Young people http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213417300960 doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.03.004 doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.03.004
spellingShingle Extrafamilial victimization; Internalizing problems; Trauma; Poly-victimization; Young people
Jackson-Hollis, Vicki
Joseph, Stephen
Browne, Kevin
The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people
title The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people
title_full The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people
title_fullStr The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people
title_full_unstemmed The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people
title_short The impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of English young people
title_sort impact of extrafamilial victimization and poly-victimization on the psychological well-being of english young people
topic Extrafamilial victimization; Internalizing problems; Trauma; Poly-victimization; Young people
url https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43576/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43576/
https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43576/