Technology-Based Interpersonal Victimization

Research on institutional betrayal has found that institutional wrongdoing that fails to prevent or respond supportively to victims of abuse adds to the burden of trauma. In this two-study investigation with young adult university students, we demonstrated parallels between institutional betrayal and ways that families can fail to prevent or respond supportively to child abuse perpetrated by a trusted other, a phenomenon we call family betrayal (FB). In Study 1, psychometric analysis of a new FB questionnaire provided evidence of its internal consistency, unidimensionality, and convergent and discriminant validity. The majority (approximately 72%) of young adults abused in childhood reported a history of FB, with an average of 4.26 FB events (SD = 4.45, range 0-14). Consistent with betrayal trauma theory, Study 2 revealed that FB was 4x more likely to occur in relation to childhood abuse by someone very close to the victim (vs. non-interpersonal victimization), with a particularly strong effect for female participants. FB history predicted significant delay to disclosure of a self-identified worst traumatic event (ηp2 = .017) and significant increases in dissociation (∆R2 = .05) and posttraumatic stress (∆R2 = .07) symptoms in young adulthood. Moreover, with FB in the regression models, only FB—not child abuse nor recent interpersonal victimization—predicted dissociation and clinically significant elevations in posttraumatic stress. Findings suggest that FB is a prevalent phenomenon among young adults abused as children and that it explains unique, clinically significant variance in posttraumatic distress, warranting increased attention from trauma researchers and clinicians.

Download Full-text

Why does it happen? Explanations for men’s violence against women by women with interpersonal victimization histories

Journal of Gender Studies ◽

10.1080/09589236.2015.1090305 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 133-150 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Julia R. Gefter ◽

Brian A. Rood ◽

Sarah E. Valentine ◽

Sarah M. Bankoff ◽

David W. Pantalone

Keyword(s):

Violence Against Women ◽

Interpersonal Victimization

Download Full-text

Introduction

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199352722.013.43 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Phillip Kleespies

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Children And Adolescents ◽

Crisis Intervention ◽

Suicide Risk ◽

The Elderly ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Emergency Intervention ◽

Interpersonal Victimization ◽

Behavioral Emergencies ◽

Psychological Risks

This book is about behavioral emergencies and the association between interpersonal victimization and subsequent suicidality and/or risk for violence toward others. Section I focuses on the differences between behavioral crises and behavioral emergencies and presents an integrative approach to crisis intervention and emergency intervention. Section II discusses the evaluation of suicide risk, risk of violence, and risk of interpersonal victimization in children and adolescents. Sections III and IV explore behavioral emergencies with adults and the elderly, while Section V deals with certain conditions or behaviors that may either need to be differentiated from a behavioral emergency, or understood as relevant to possibly heightening risk. Section VI describes treatments for patients with recurrent or ongoing risks, and Section VII is devoted to legal, ethical, and psychological risks faced by clinicians who work with patients who might be at risk to themselves or others.

Download Full-text

Traumatic Stress in Special Populations

The Oxford Handbook of Traumatic Stress Disorders ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195399066.013.0010 ◽

2012 ◽

pp. 127-140

Author(s):

Kim T. Mueser ◽

Weili Lu

Keyword(s):

Substance Use ◽

Substance Use Disorders ◽

Traumatic Stress ◽

Stress Disorder ◽

Psychiatric Symptoms ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Psychological Trauma ◽

Special Populations ◽

Interpersonal Victimization ◽

Made In

Special populations are individuals who by virtue of psychiatric, behavioral, cognitive, or physical disabilities are more likely to be exposed to psychological trauma. Individuals with severe psychiatric disorders, substance use disorders, developmental disabilities, and persons who are incarcerated are more likely to experience trauma throughout their lives, especially interpersonal victimization, and are more likely to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma and PTSD have a negative impact on special populations, often exacerbating psychiatric symptoms and substance abuse, and interfering with community functioning. Despite the high rates of trauma and PTSD in special populations, these problems are often not identified, and when they are, they are rarely treated. Recent progress has been made in adapting treatments developed for PTSD in the general population to special populations, including persons with severe mental illness and individuals with substance use disorders.

Download Full-text

Interpersonal Victimization, Substance Use, and Mental Health Among Sexual and Gender Minority Youth: The Role of Self-concept Factors

Journal of Interpersonal Violence ◽

10.1177/08862605211035868 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088626052110358

Author(s):

Jillian R. Scheer ◽

Katie M. Edwards ◽

Alan Z. Sheinfil ◽

Michelle R. Dalton ◽

Madison K. Firkey ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Substance Use ◽

Mental Health Problems ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Self Concept ◽

Interpersonal Victimization ◽

Sexual And Gender Minority ◽

And Gender ◽

The Relationship

Reducing substance use and negative mental health outcomes of interpersonal victimization among sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) represents a critical public health priority. Victimized individuals often develop cognitive schemas, or organized knowledge structures consisting of traits, values, and memories about the self, such as self-concept factors, in response to interpersonal victimization. Prior studies demonstrate the role of self-concept factors (e.g., mastery, control, and self-esteem) in explaining the relationship between victimization and substance use and mental health. However, mastery, control, and self-esteem have not been explored as mediators of interpersonal victimization and health among SGMY. This study is among the first to apply cognitive schema models of trauma-related health symptoms using a large sample of SGMY to examine (a) whether interpersonal victimization is associated with substance use (i.e., alcohol use, cannabis use, and cigarette use) and mental health problems (i.e., depressive symptoms, self-perceived stress, self-rated health issues) and (b) whether diminished sense of mastery and control and lower self-esteem can partially explain elevated rates of substance use and mental health problems in this population. We used the U.S.-based 2017 LGBTQ National Teen Survey ( n = 17,112; Mage = 15.57, SD = 1.27); 6,401 (37.4%) identified as gay or lesbian, 7,396 (43.2%) as cisgender women, and 10,245 (59.9%) as White. Substance use and mental health variables were positively associated with interpersonal victimization variables and negatively associated with self-concept factors. Self-concept factors partially mediated the relationship between interpersonal victimization and mental health. This model explained 74.2% of the variance in mental health and 28.4% of the variance in substance use. Cognitive coping may represent an important modifiable factor that can be targeted by trauma-focused interventions in efforts to improve victimized SGMY’s mental health. Findings call for the development of identity-affirmative, evidence-based, and trauma-focused interventions for SGMY to improve this populations’ overall health.

Download Full-text