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Sexual and related forms of violence among middle and high school students are pervasive public health issues, and thus, there is a growing emphasis on the development and evaluation of sexual violence prevention efforts for youth. Caregivers such as parents are important partners in this work as they can facilitate youths' involvement (e.g., give them permission to participate, provide instrumental support such as rides), but their perception of their youth's involvement in sexual violence prevention efforts is largely unexplored. The current paper examined caregivers' perceptions of their teens' participation in a community-wide, out-of-school, youth-led sexual violence prevention initiative. Some caregivers of youth who were involved in the initiative (N = 19; 79.9% White; 21.1% Native American) responded to closed- and open-ended questions about what their teen had talked to them about in relation to the initiative, why their teen participated in the initiative, and how involvement impacted their teen. Furthermore, caregivers who attended events themselves responded to questions about what they learned, what they liked best, and what they liked least. Over half of caregivers said that their teens talked to them about bystander intervention, social emotional skills, and what constitutes sexual violence. Perceptions of the initiative were largely positive both in terms of what the teen learned at part of the programming and in caregivers' own experience participating. These results are promising for the role of caregivers in partners in prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence is a global public health problem that affects especially the most vulnerable people. The aim was to analyze the prevalence of psychological violence in the Brazilian population and inequalities according to sex and skin color. This was a cross-sectional study in which the database of the National Health Survey 2019 was used. Psychological violence was considered present when an individual answered yes to at least one of the five variables investigated: In the last 12 months, has anyone (a) offended you, humiliated you, or ridiculed you in front of other people?; (b) yelled at you or called you names?; (c) used social media or cell phones to threaten, offend, curse, or expose your images without your consent?; (d) threatened to hurt you or hurt someone important to you?; and (e) destroyed something of yours on purpose? The independent variable was skin color. The crude prevalence ratio (PR) was determined by Poisson regression. All analyses were stratified by sex. Of the 88,531 respondents, 41,662 were males and 46,869 were females. The prevalence of the presence of psychological violence was 19% in women and 15.6% in men. Men and women with black/brown/yellow/indigenous skin color were 20% and 15% more likely to suffer one or more items of psychological violence, respectively, than men and women with white skin color (PR = 1.20; 95% CI [1.11, 1.30] and PR = 1.15; 95% CI [1.08, 1.23]). Psychological violence occurred predominantly against females and individuals with black/brown/yellow/indigenous skin color. There were notable inequalities in the exposure to this type of violence that need to be considered when making plans to address this problem. The findings emphasize the relevance of constantly reviewing political and social constructions to promote a reduction of inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bystander intervention programs have established efficacy to increase bystander behaviors to prevent interpersonal violence (IPV). Little research has investigated intervention efficacy among latent risk classes among high school students. Data from a five-year randomized control trial were used to conduct multigroup path analyses to assess the association between type of training received and bystander outcomes moderated by risk groups identified via latent profile analysis (LPA). LPA was used to identify risk based on six indicators related to violence exposure, association with aggressive friends, and alcohol use. Bystander training received was the primary independent variable characterized as: no training, overview speech alone, or skills training. Outcomes included (a) observed bystander behaviors; (b) reactive bystander behaviors; or (c) proactive bystander behaviors. Three risk groups were identified via LPA: low risk, moderate risk witnesses of IPV, and highest risk victims and perpetrators. Of the bystander trainings received, overview speeches only increased reactive bystander behaviors among low risk students. The skills training was effective at increasing most bystander outcomes among all risk groups, with the largest effect sizes observed among the highest risk victims and perpetrators profile. Findings suggest that tailoring or modifying bystander training based on the risk profiles of youth may lead to greater potential to increase bystander behaviors to reduce risk of violence. Specifically, overview speech trainings should be targeted to low risk youth, while skills training primarily delivered to higher risk youth. These skills trainings could incorporate content related to trauma-informed care as well as associations with alcohol use, which may enhance their effectiveness further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The negative impact of misinformation on public discourse and public safety is increasingly a focus of attention. From the COVID-19 pandemic to national elections, exposure to misinformation has been linked to conflicting perceptions of social, economic, and political issues, which has been found to lead to polarization, radicalization, and acts of violence at the individual and group level. While a large body of research has emerged examining the development and spread of misinformation, little has been done to examine the human processes of being exposed to, and influenced by, misinformation material online. This article uses reinforcement sensitivity theory to examine the effect of individual differences in the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) on the behavioral and cognitive intentions to engage in violence after exposure to misinformation online. Using an online panel sample (Mechanical Turk), and a behavioral study that involved exposure to, and interaction with, misinformation, this study found that trait BIS score impacted how much individuals engaged with misinformation, as well as their ensuing activism and radicalism toward the narratives that were depicted. This study identified that engagement with misinformation impacted intentions for activism and radicalism, as did trait BIS. However, these effects were present for both misinformation and correct information conditions. These findings highlight the importance of BIS-related processes and raise important questions about the degree to which we need to think about online influence as a general process versus specific processes that directly relate to the effect of misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited research has examined predictors of anti-gay victimization among men who have sex with men (MSM), despite anti-gay violence continuing to be a global problem. We conducted a secondary analysis of data from structured interviews with 600 MSM adults to examine anti-gay victimization and earlier sexual debut among MSM in Kazakhstan. Multiple linear regression was used to test for associations between earlier sexual debut—categorized as age of sexual onset between 13 and 15 years of age and prior to 13 years old, with ages 16 and older as the reference group—and recent and lifetime anti-gay victimization. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to assess earlier sexual debut and specific types of victimization. The majority of MSM reported lifetime (89%) or recent (68%) experiences of anti-gay victimization. Earlier sexual debut prior to 13 years of age was significantly associated with greater number of types of lifetime and recent reports of anti-gay victimization. Among specific types of anti-gay victimization, earlier sexual debut was associated with higher odds of experiencing verbal, physical, and sexual violence. Anti-gay violence in Kazakhstan is a significant and prevalent public health issue. Future research and clinical interventions addressing anti-gay victimization among MSM populations should consider the lifetime and current implications of consensual and non-consensual childhood and adolescent sexual experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent media and academic reports project rising levels of girls' violence and a narrowing gender gap. In response, the authors investigate 21st century trends in girls' violence as reported across multiple official and unofficial longitudinal sources: Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) arrest and juvenile court referral statistics; National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) victimization data; and three sources of self-reported violent offending—Monitoring the Future, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System, and National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Augmented Dickey-Fuller time-series tests and intuitive plot displays show much overlap in each source's portrayal of trends in girls' violence and the youth gender gap. Specifically, there is no systematic change in the gender gap for homicide, aggravated assault, nor the violent crime index. However, UCR police arrests and juvenile court referrals show a moderate female-to-male rise for simple assault during the early decades of the 21st century. This rise in official statistics is not borne out in NCVS counts based on victims' reports nor in self-reported violent-offending counts. Net-widening policy shifts and more gender-neutral enforcement have apparently elevated somewhat the arrest proneness of adolescent females for simple assault. Rather than girls having become more violent, triangulating data sources revealed a decline in both girls' and boys' violence levels, considerable similarity in their violent-offending trends, and little or no systematic change in the gender gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Responding to high rates of interpersonal victimization and perpetration among adolescents, schools have implemented bystander intervention (BI) training to educate students to intervene to prevent or stop violence. These trainings function much like an application of scripts for guardianship in action. The current study builds on the overlapping and complementary bodies of BI and routine activities research by testing whether participation in BI training, namely Green Dot (GD), influences individuals' underlying ability to intervene. Using four years of survey data collected from high school students (N = 2,374–3,443), we use item response theory to model the difficulty of engaging in different BI behaviors. We then estimate multivariate ordinary least squares regression models, one for each year, to estimate the effect of GD training on students' ability to intervene. The item response theory results show that BI behaviors differ in terms of how "difficult" they are for respondents to engage in. Findings show that in each year, GD training increased students' underlying ability to intervene. Our findings suggest BI training and guardianship in action scripts should take into account this varying difficulty of intervention behaviors to best train individuals for successful intervention to prevent victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to estimate and compare Roman Catholic Church-related child sexual abuse (CSA) prevalence and characteristics to CSA in other social spheres in France since 1950. Using a cross-sectional representative web-based survey of 28,026 adults in 2021, the weighted prevalence of CSA was estimated according to six social spheres of perpetration: family, Church, school, sports club, artistic activities, and summer camps. Altogether, 14.60%, 95% confidence interval [CI: 13.41; 15.80] of female respondents and 6.38% [5.73; 7.03] of male respondents had experienced CSA. Family was the most common social sphere of perpetration (3.55% [3.18; 3.92]), followed by the Church (0.81% [0.62; 0.99] of respondents exposed) and public schools (0.32% [0.23; 0.40] of respondents exposed). Altogether, we estimate 213,000, 95% CI [147,000; 278,000] people were victims of Church CSA since 1950 in France. Church CSA was more common among men than women (1.28% [0.93; 1.64] vs. 0.34% [0.20; 0.48]) while the opposite was true for other social spheres. CSA was overwhelmingly perpetrated by men ranging from 93.37% in the Church to 97.65% in schools. Many victims spoke with someone about these abuses: 41.81% of the Catholic Church compared to 41.25% of school CSA victims and 51.68% of family CSA victims. Results suggest structural factors including gender norms, but also the spiritual authority of the priest and the culture of secrecy contribute to clerical CSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although research has indicated the association between child abuse and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), few studies have examined their relationship in a particular sample of Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents who tend to experience parental abuse and engage in NSSI. More importantly, factors moderating the relationship between child abuse and migrant adolescents' NSSI have been understudied. To address this issue, this study aimed to examine whether beliefs about adversity and family socioeconomic status (SES) moderated the longitudinal relationship between child abuse and NSSI in a sample of Chinese migrant adolescents. 308 Chinese rural-to-urban migrant adolescents (aged 10–14; 138 boys) completed the two-wave survey. Self-reported questionnaires regarding child abuse, NSSI, beliefs about adversity, and family SES were used. Results showed that child abuse was significantly positively related to NSSI a year later. Moreover, the interaction of child abuse, beliefs about adversity, and family SES was significant. Specifically, for migrant adolescents with low SES, positive beliefs about adversity played a protective role in the association between child abuse and NSSI; while for those with high SES, such beliefs showed vulnerability. Findings underscore the importance of considering multiple resilient factors simultaneously by examining beliefs about adversity and SES as the moderating mechanisms in the association between child abuse and NSSI. Findings also emphasize the significance of developing differential interventions targeting NSSI in abused Chinese migrant adolescents. Positive beliefs about adversity are important in buffering the negative effect of child abuse for migrant adolescents with low SES. For those with high SES, special attention should be given to the interactive impact of child abuse, beliefs about adversity, and family SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research indicates substantial overlap between child abuse and neglect (CAN), exposure to domestic violence and sibling abuse, with multiple victimisation experiences conferring greater risk for adverse mental health outcomes than does exposure to a single subtype. The application of latent class analysis (LCA) to child maltreatment has gained momentum, but it remains the case that few studies have incorporated a comprehensive range of subtypes, meaning that real-life patterns in victimisation experiences cannot be accurately modelled. Based on self-report data from an ethnically diverse sample (N = 2813) of 10–17 year olds in the United Kingdom, the current study used LCA to model constellations among nine types of maltreatment in the home (physical, emotional and sexual abuse; physical and emotional neglect; exposure to physical and verbal domestic violence, or a drug-related threat; and sibling violence). A four-class solution comprising of a low victimisation class (59.3% of participants), an emotional abuse and neglect class (19.0%), a high verbal domestic violence class (10.5%) and a maltreatment and domestic violence class (11.2%) provided the best fit for the data. Associations with sociodemographic variables were examined, revealing differences in the composition of the classes. Compared to the low victimisation class, participants in the verbal domestic violence class, emotional abuse and neglect class and especially the maltreatment and domestic violence class, reported higher symptoms of anxiety and depression and an increased likelihood of non-suicidal self-injury, suicide ideation and suicide attempt. The findings carry important implications for understanding patterns of child maltreatment, and the implications for preventative strategies and support services are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: While a significant association between childhood maltreatment and sexual victimization in adulthood has been established in previous research, it is unknown whether this also applies to the context of online dating. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether revictimization is common in online users and which mechanisms mediate this risk. Method: The participants were 413 heterosexual women aged between 18 and 35 who used mobile dating applications in the year before the assessment. The participants reported information on using mobile dating applications, motives for engaging in casual sex, protective dating strategies, and general motives for online dating. Results: Childhood maltreatment severity was positively related to both cyber and in-person sexual victimization severity. Motives related to regulating negative affect and self-esteem mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment severity and in-person sexual victimization severity in adulthood. Furthermore, those motives moderated the association between cyber and in-person sexual victimization. The effect of cyber victimization on in-person sexual victimization was stronger at higher levels of affect/self-esteem regulatory sex motives compared to lower levels. The affect/self-esteem regulatory sex motives were not related to protective dating strategies. Discussion: The results of the study imply that a history of childhood maltreatment is a risk factor for sexual victimization in adulthood among young heterosexual women who use online dating. One of the factors linking these variables in this population might be affect/self-esteem regulatory sex motives. Future studies should aim at replicating these associations prospectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a robust and growing literature base indicating that spanking is a common, but potentially problematic, discipline strategy. Goals : Using a randomized controlled trial design, this study examined whether participation in a brief online program, Play Nicely, would result in favorable changes in caregivers' attitudes toward spanking. The study also examined whether the intervention was equally effective for participants of color (POC) and White participants, and it assessed caregivers' perceptions of the program's cultural sensitivity. Methods: Participants were 52 caregivers from 1- to 5-year-old children who were visiting a pediatric clinic. Participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to either engage in the Play Nicely online program (n = 21) or view a control condition website (n = 31) in a clinic exam room. Results: There was not a statistically significant difference between the treatment and control groups' scores on attitudes toward spanking (ATS) at post-test (F (1, 49) = 1.515, p = 0.224), but a small between-group effect size was detected (d = 0.20). Within the treatment condition, desired changes in ATS scores were significantly higher among White participants than POC (t (17) = −2.125, p = 0.049), but there was not a significant difference in reported perceptions of Play Nicely's cultural acceptability between White participants and POC (t (19) = 0.469, p = 0.644). Conclusions: Findings suggest a need for further investigation of Play Nicely's impact on caregivers' ATS with a larger sample to clarify the program's utility as a potential population-based tool for parent education and violence prevention. Additional research is needed to identify sociocultural factors that may moderate the effects of spanking interventions for families across diverse racial backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite being a human rights violation, child marriage still takes place across the globe. Prior scholarship has shown early marriage to be associated with an increased risk of intimate partner violence (IPV). Drawing on data from the nationally representative Demographic and Health Surveys—conducted in developing and transitional nations where rates of child marriage tend to be higher—the current study provides a cross-national examination of individual-, community-, and national-level predictors of child marriage and their association with physical and emotional IPV. The sample of ever married women includes 281,674 respondents across 46 developing and transitional nations. Findings reveal the prevalence of child marriage was largely consistent with worldwide estimates. Over half of the sample (59.97%) were over the age of 18 when they married and about 1 in 10 women were married at age 14 or younger. A later age at marriage, measured continuously, was associated with lower odds of physical and emotional IPV. When considering the 18 and over cutoff traditionally used to operationalize child marriage, the odds of physical and emotional IPV were lower for women who married over the age of 18 than women who were 14 and younger when they married. However, there was a confounding effect when considering age at marriage as 18 and over when community-level predictors were not included in the model estimating physical abuse. This underscores the need to consider the nested nature of respondents' experiences. Further, national legislation that protects against child marriage was not associated with risk of physical or emotional IPV. However, population size increased the odds of physical IPV and lowered the odds of emotional IPV. Such findings can be interpreted in light of opportunity theory and provide direction for prevention and intervention programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of child sexual abuse (CSA) is difficult to assess, and rates vary widely across studies due to methodological and sample differences. In Spain, prevalence data from representative samples are lacking. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of different CSA experiences in a sample that was representative of the Spanish population in terms of gender, age, and region. The sample comprised 1,071 (539 male and 532 female) Spanish adults (M age = 45.37; SD = 14.84). Participants completed an anonymous online survey about different types of CSA and were asked whether they had disclosed the experience at the time. Prevalence was analyzed as a function of gender and generation. Results indicated prevalence rates ranging from 2.8% to 18.5%, depending on the type of experience. The most common experience suffered during childhood was being shown pornographic material, while that with the lowest prevalence was being forced to perform a sexual act involving penetration. Prevalence was higher in females than males for eight of the ten experiences considered. Young adults from Generation Z were the most likely to report having suffered three of the CSA experiences, two of them related to technology. Only 27.5% of respondents said that they had told someone about the abuse at the time, mainly their mother (more common among females) or a friend/peer (more frequent among males). The results suggest that CSA is prevalent in Spain, with considerable rates for several types of abusive experience, especially among females and the youngest generation. The implications of the results are discussed. The findings may inform social policy and the development of effective prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the current study was to explore the reactions of Native American adolescents to participating in survey research on sexual and dating violence. Participants were 149 Native American adolescents who completed a survey in school. Survey items included sexual assault, dating violence, sexual harassment, and demographic questions. At the end of the survey, participants were asked if they were upset by the survey. Results showed that almost a quarter of youth were upset by the survey (24.2%), victims were more likely than non-victims to be upset by the survey, perpetrators were more likely than non-perpetrators to be upset by the survey, and sexual minorities were more likely than non-sexual minorities to be upset by the survey. Sex and age did not emerge as significantly associated with being upset. Participants were asked to describe why they were upset, and a content analysis revealed four categories of responses (i.e., feeling awkward or weird, topic of the survey, reminders, and "other"). Overall, although the research was well tolerated by most of the participants, researchers should consider adding information about what might increase feelings of upset in parental consent and youth assent forms, such as being reminded of a past upsetting experience and/or feeling awkward or weird because of some of the questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coercive control behaviors central to the abuse of power appear more frequent than other types of domestic violence, but little is known about its frequency, features, and consequences for women in India. We aimed to examine the prevalence of domestic coercive control and its association with physical, sexual, and emotional domestic violence in the preceding year and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thinking. In a cross-sectional survey, we interviewed 4,906 ever-married women aged 18-49 years living in urban informal settlements in Mumbai, India. We developed a 24-item scale of coercive control, assessed physical, sexual, and emotional violence using existing questions, and screened for symptoms of depression with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9), anxiety with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD7) questionnaire, and suicidal thinking with questions developed by the World Health Organization. Estimates involved univariable and multivariable logistic regression models and the prediction of marginal effects. The prevalence of domestic coercive control was 71%. In total, 23% of women reported domestic violence in the past 12 months (emotional 19%, physical 13%, sexual 4%). Adjusted models suggested that women exposed to controlling behavior had greater odds of surviving emotional (aOR 2.1; 95% CI 1.7, 2.7), physical (1.4; 1.0, 1.9), and sexual (1.8; 1.1, 3.0) domestic violence in the past 12 months; and higher odds of a positive screen for moderate or severe depression (1.7; 1.3, 2.2), anxiety (2.1; 1.3, 3.1), and suicidal thinking (1.7; 1.2, 2.3), and increased with each additional indicator of coercive control behavior. When women reported 24 indicators of coercive control, the adjusted predicted proportion with moderate or severe depressive symptoms was 60%, anxiety 42%, and suicidal thinking 17%. Inclusion of coercive control in programs to support domestic violence, would broaden our understanding of domestic abuse to resemble most victims experience and improve interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic may be experienced as traumatogenic and may fuel or exacerbate psychological distress and trauma-related symptoms. Based on trauma research, one might expect that survivors of childhood abuse would be susceptible to these negative outcomes during the pandemic, and that among this population a stronger relation between emotion regulation difficulties and symptomatology would be found. Aiming to explore these suppositions, an online survey was conducted among 710 Israeli adults. Of them, 370 were childhood abuse survivors. A history of childhood abuse, COVID-19-related stressors, overall psychological distress, and peritraumatic stress symptoms during the pandemic were assessed via selfreport measures. Participants with a history of childhood abuse had elevated overall psychological distress as well as peritraumatic stress symptoms during the pandemic, compared to nonabused participants, above and beyond demographic characteristics and COVID-19-related stressors. Emotion regulation difficulties were related to elevated psychological distress and peritraumatic stress symptoms among both childhood abuse survivors and nonabused participants. Nonetheless, a history of childhood abuse moderated the relations between the emotion regulation difficulty of being unable to engage in goal-directed behaviors when distressed (on one hand) and mental outcomes (on the other): Although the associations between inability to engage in goal-directed behaviors, overall psychological distress, and peritraumatic stress symptoms were nonsignificant among nonabused participants, they were significant among childhood abuse survivors. The current findings suggest that a history of childhood abuse might be a risk factor for distress in the face of COVID-19, and that childhood abuse survivors would benefit from clinical interventions that promote emotion regulation skills during this ongoing global health crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a 6-session (12-hour) empowerment self-defense classroom delivered curriculum (i.e., IMpower) among American Indian girls. Girls (N = 74) in one middle school and two high schools on an Indian Reservation in the Great Plains region of the United States received the intervention and completed a pre-test and a post-test six months following the final program session. The surveys administered assessed hypothesized intermediary (i.e., efficacy to resist a sexual assault, self-defense knowledge), primary (i.e., sexual violence victimization), and secondary (i.e., physical dating violence, sexual harassment) outcomes. Native American girls (N = 181) in five middle schools and three high schools in a nearby city where there was no sexual assault prevention occurring completed surveys assessing sexual violence, physical dating violence, and sexual harassment victimization approximately six months apart, thus serving as a comparison to girls in the treatment condition on primary and secondary outcomes. Girls exposed to the IMpower program reported significant increases over time in efficacy to resist a sexual assault and knowledge of effective resistance strategies. Furthermore, propensity score analyses suggested that girls who received the IMpower program reported significantly fewer types of sexual assault and sexual harassment at follow-up compared to girls in the control condition. However, no effect was found for physical dating violence. These data suggest that empowerment self-defense is a promising approach in preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment among American Indian girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intimate partner violence, including physical, psychological, and sexual violence, affects over one-third of Americans and is particularly common among college students. Previous work has found links between rejection sensitivity and aggressive or hostile behavior (i.e., perpetration) in intimate relationships, but this construct has only been tested as a predictor of violence in an all-male sample. A related body of work has found relationships between self-silencing and rejection sensitivity, and between self-silencing and both hostile and ingratiating behavior. The purpose of this study was to bridge these related literatures and examine the relationship between rejection sensitivity and intimate partner violence experiences and the role of self-silencing as a possible mediator. To test these relationships, we collected survey data from a sample of college students (N = 410) at a large university in the northeast United States. Using mediation analyses, we found that rejection sensitivity predicted intimate partner violence victimization (i.e., being the target of violence) through self-silencing. Similarly, rejection sensitivity predicted intimate partner violence perpetration (i.e., being violent toward one's partner) through self-silencing. Neither gender nor race significantly moderated either path of the models. Implications of this study include incorporating individual difference variables in intimate partner violence research and programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing structural drivers of intimate partner violence (IPV), including gender inequity in education, employment, and health, surrounding women worldwide represents a clear public health priority. Within countries, some women are at disproportionate risk of IPV compared to other women, including sexual minority women, immigrant women, and women in poverty. However, limited research has assessed women's IPV risk and related circumstances, including police involvement following IPV experiences and IPV-related worry, across sexual orientation, immigration status, and socioeconomic status in a population-based survey of women across countries. Further, few studies have examined IPV against minority women as a function of gender-based structural stigma. This study aimed to determine whether gender-based structural stigma is associated with IPV and related circumstances among European women; examine minority-majority IPV disparities; and assess whether structural stigma is associated with IPV disparities. We used the population-based 2012 Violence Against Women Survey (n = 42,000) administered across 28 European Union countries: 724 (1.7%) identified as sexual minority, 841 (2.0%) as immigrant, and 2,272 (5.4%) as living in poverty. Women in high gender-based structural stigma countries had a greater risk of past-12-month IPV (AOR: 1.18, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.34) and IPV-related worry (AOR: 1.09, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.15) than women in low structural stigma countries. All minority women were at disproportionate risk of IPV and IPV-related worry compared to majority women. Associations between gender-based structural stigma and IPV and related circumstances differed across minority status. Country-level structural stigma can possibly perpetuate women's risk of IPV and related circumstances. Associations between structural stigma and IPV and related circumstances for sexual minority women, immigrant women, and women in poverty call for research into the IPV experiences of minority populations across structural contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Violence perpetrated by an intimate partner (IPV) is an important human rights and public health problem worldwide and when experienced during pregnancy is of special concern due to the harmful impact on maternal and child health. Women living in Vanuatu, and especially Sanma Province, experience high rates of IPV, however little is known about their experiences of violence when pregnant. The aim was to describe the prevalence, patterns and determinants of IPV among women who are pregnant in Sanma Province, Vanuatu. A cross-sectional survey was used. All healthy adult women attending Northern Provincial Hospital antenatal clinic from late May to late July 2019 were eligible and invited to participate. Psychological, physical and sexual IPV and controlling behaviours were assessed with a modified version of the World Health Organization Violence Against Women Instrument administered as an individual interview. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse prevalence and patterns of IPV and logistic regression models to identify determinants. Of 214 women who expressed interest in participating, 192 women contributed data. Overall 64.2% of women had experienced any IPV during their lifetime and 42.2% had experienced IPV during their current pregnancy. Experience of co-occurrence of violence types was common, and it was more common for IPV to continue than to cease during pregnancy. Factors which increased likelihood of experiencing IPV included being employed, occupying a lower socioeconomic position, having a partner who was unemployed or used alcohol or illicit substances at least once a week. IPV, in all its forms, is a common problem faced by women who are pregnant and living in Vanuatu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of fatalities in Spain due to gender-based violence has increased in recent years, with a new rise in 2019, reaching the highest figure since 2015, a year that registered a peak with 60 victims. This article analyzes a database obtained from a survey on gender violence conducted by the Spanish Centre for Sociological Research. The survey, prepared by the Government Delegation for Gender Violence, consisted of interviews with women aged over 15 years living in 858 municipalities distributed over 50 provinces in Spain. The data reveal that most of the women interviewed have not suffered any type of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse. Hence, the application of standard logistic methodologies which suppose symmetric responses, can lead to a poor specification of the model, a misinterpretation of marginal effects and unidentified predictors. It seems more appropriate to consider an asymmetric link function to explain the probability of abuse (physical, sexual, or psychological). The Bayesian methodology allows the incorporation of such an asymmetric function improving the specification of the model. In this article, we compare both methodologies and prove that Bayesian asymmetric performs better results by considering several diagnostic criteria. Furthermore, this methodology detects some significative factors that are not revealed by the classical method, e.g., the partner's nationality for sexual abuse or the women's total number of intimate partners for psychological abuse. Bayesian asymmetric estimations reveal no significance concerning to the lowest partner's level of education for physical abuse but if the intimate partner is currently studying this reduces the probability of sexual abuse. The woman's level of education is not relevant to the physical, sexual, or psychological abuses suffered. Therefore, the findings may help identify economic and sociological factors not previously considered in this area and highlight policies that may be adopted or revised to help overcome this social problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internet addiction among adolescents is an emerging public health issue. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between being bullied and internet addiction, and further to test the mediating effect of adult attachments on this relationship among Chinese rural adolescents. A total of 1,270 adolescents from three high schools in Henan province were recruited as subjects. Internet addiction was measured by Young's internet addiction scale. This study showed that the prevalence of being bullied and addictive internet use among the recruited Chinese rural adolescents were 41.97% and 11.34%, respectively. Being bullied was significantly associated with internet addition. Adult attachment was found to mediate the association between being bullied and internet addiction. Higher anxiety attachment and lower close-dependent attachment partially explained the higher risk of internet addiction among the Chinese rural adolescents being bullied. This study suggests that the experience of being bullied can increase the risk of addictive internet use and that this risk can be mediated through adult attachments. This discovery supports the adoption of effective prevention programs to decrease school bullying and to improve adult attachments for adolescents in China and other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although childhood maltreatment has been shown to play an important role in adolescent cyberbullying perpetration, little is known about mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship. The current study investigated the mediating role of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in the association between childhood maltreatment and adolescent cyberbullying perpetration, as well as the moderating role of perceived social support. A total of 2,407 Chinese adolescents (aged 11–16 years, Mage = 12.75 years, SD = 0.58) completed the measures of childhood maltreatment, CU traits, cyberbullying perpetration, and perceived social support. The results showed that CU traits partially mediated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and adolescent cyberbullying perpetration. Furthermore, perceived social support moderated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and CU traits, as well as CU traits and cyberbullying perpetration. Specifically, childhood maltreatment had a greater impact on CU traits for adolescents with higher levels of perceived social support and the predictive function of CU traits on cyberbullying perpetration was stronger for adolescents with low levels of perceived social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying behaviors, as exhibited by left-behind children (LBC) in China, occur commonly. Parental supervision and support, as well as friendship networks, have previously been verified as crucial aspects in determining the bullying behaviors of LBC. However, evidence of the interactive effect of these vital factors is sparse, and puppy love, which is inevitable among school-age children, is seldom investigated. The current study aimed to examine the roles of parental supervision and support as well as peers in puppy love in LBC bullying behaviors by means of a moderated mediation model. The data were derived from 28 counties/districts across China. We used data from the China Education Panel Survey (CEPS) of 3,252 junior high school students. A moderated mediation model was conducted by PROCESS procedure in Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) and the bootstrapping method was performed for inference test. The moderated mediation analysis showed that left-behind status was associated with bullying behaviors displayed by school-age students. Parental supervision and support mediated this association; furthermore, the mediation effects were dependent on the number of friends in puppy love. In particular, as the number of friends in puppy love increased, the mediating effect of parental supervision weakened, whereas the mediating effect of parental support became stronger. These results revealed the importance of parental support and supervision and peers in puppy love in shaping bullying behaviors among LBC. Future bullying prevention and intervention should promote parental supervision and support among LBC in rural China, especially those with many friends in puppy love. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiencing trauma, such as sexual abuse, increases the risk of a negative health outcome. The aim of the present study was to compare two groups of female survivors of sexual abuse, one group with a lower indication of posttraumatic stress disorder (L-PTSD) and one with a higher indication of posttraumatic stress disorder (H-PTSD). We hypothesized that, with a history of sexual abuse, higher levels of PTSD symptoms would be associated with more daily hassles, fewer daily uplifts, and more maladaptive coping strategies, and that there would be more reporting of severe types of sexual victimization, less resourceful socioeconomic conditions and a lower level of emotional stability. A questionnaire, including measures of socioeconomic conditions, trauma experience, emotional stability (the Single-Item Measures of Personality), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL), daily hassles and uplifts (the Stress Profile), and coping strategies (the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced [COPE] questionnaire), was completed by 57 female users at nine support centers for survivors of incest and sexual abuse in Norway. The results show that the H-PTSD group reported significantly more daily hassles, fewer daily uplifts, and more use of maladaptive coping strategies. The L-PTSD group reported more emotional stability, fewer daily hassles, and more uplifts, and used more adaptive coping strategies. However, few differences were found between the H-PTSD and the L-PTSD groups with regard to severity of sexual abuse and socioeconomic conditions. The results on the hassle, uplift, and coping scales are potentially interesting from an interventional point of view. Major life events such as sexual abuse may be out of control for the afflicted victim. Appraisal of and coping with everyday events, however, can be affected and offer interesting possibilities for interventions directed at the survivor, her significant others, and professional helpers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate an intervention (Supporting Survivors and Self [SSS]) created to increase positive social reactions and decrease negative social reactions to sexual assault and partner violence disclosures among informal support disclosure recipients. Participants were 1,268 college students from a medium-sized New England university who completed an online baseline survey and were assigned to either the treatment or control condition. The SSS intervention trained potential informal supports on what to say and not to say to disclosure recipients. Six months after the SSS intervention, participants in both conditions completed the follow-up survey online. Although intentions to provide positive social reactions significantly increased among participants in the treatment group compared with the control group and there were marginally significant effects in the anticipated directions for alcohol-specific intended social reactions, no overall difference was observed across conditions in actual social reactions provided. Moderation analyses suggested that, in general, the SSS intervention was more effective on various outcomes for students who were younger, male, non-White, sexual minorities, and/or non-victims. Moderation analyses also suggested that the intervention varied in efficacy depending on the circumstances of the disclosure. Despite the mixed outcomes of the SSS intervention, these data suggest that the SSS intervention was effective in improving social reactions for some students and under some circumstances. Future research is needed to further refine the SSS intervention to bolster its effectiveness in reducing negative social reactions and increasing positive social reactions for all students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study examined the extent to which evaluative attitudes toward sexual aggression (i.e., positive or negative evaluative judgments about sexually aggressive behavior) mediate the association between injunctive norms (i.e., extent to which peers approve or disapprove of sexually aggressive behavior) and self-reported sexual aggression against women. Participants were 200 male undergraduate students. Approximately one in four males reported engaging in at least one sexually aggressive act since the age of 16. Participants with a history of sexual aggression also reported the highest likelihood of engaging in sexually aggressive behavior in the future. We tested two separate mediation models to examine the extent to which evaluative attitudes account for the link between injunctive norms and sexual aggression: one model with self-reported history of sexual aggression as the outcome and the other with likelihood of engaging in sexually aggressive behavior as the outcome. Results showed that more positive evaluative attitudes toward sexual aggression accounted for the association between injunctive norms and self-reported history of sexual aggression. Similarly, evaluative attitudes accounted for the link between injunctive norms and self-reported likelihood of engaging in sexually aggressive behavior in the future. Overall, these findings are consistent with theoretical and empirical explanations of sexual offending and general criminal behavior; however, this is the first study to explore the relationship between injunctive norms and evaluative attitudes in the context of explaining sexually aggressive behavior. If more rigorous research establishes a causal relationship between injunctive norms, evaluative attitudes, and sexually aggressive behavior, this would suggest that targeting these factors in prevention programs may reduce sexual aggression by male undergraduate students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines whether victims of violent street crimes who are known to the police as past offenders, when compared with victims with no arrest history, have different outcomes related to receipt of victim and health-related services, while taking into consideration whether or not police responded to the victimization incident. The sample is comprised of 103 men and women between the age of 18 and 40 living in one Mid-Atlantic city who were victims of street violence within the year before study recruitment. Logistic regression was used to assess the impact of police response to the victimization incident on receipt of victim services, and receipt of victim services on engagement with counseling and mental health services. The results show that prior arrests were not associated with receipt of services. However, having police officers respond to the victimization was associated with higher odds of receiving victim services, and in turn, victim services were associated with receiving mental health treatment. Police response appears to set victims on a path to accessing services. Although the number of arrests was not associated with service receipt, a small percentage of victims who did not receive services stated they were reluctant to cooperate with the police, thus limiting their opportunity for victim services. Because most victims who did not access victim services did not know that they existed, policies that promote more knowledge of and initial engagement with victim services could improve access to needed health and mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment is associated with significant negative long-term outcomes. Behaviors considered to be more serious and abusive are more likely identified as maltreatment and reported. Therefore, studying child maltreatment perceptions among professionals and the public who regularly work with children could inform practice. Existing studies examining professionals' and the public's perceptions of maltreatment have reported mixed findings, motivating a more comprehensive study of maltreatment perceptions. Our study compared perceived abusiveness and seriousness of behaviors (a) across professional groups (educators, counselors/social workers, nurses, doctors, and police officers), and (b) between professional groups and the public. We surveyed 1,022 professionals and 500 members of the public. Respondents completed an 18-item measure on their perceived abusiveness of potential maltreatment behaviors, and rated the seriousness of 21 vignettes depicting maltreatment behaviors. We found that educators surveyed in our study perceived all child maltreatment behaviors as more serious, and emotional maltreatment behaviors as more abusive, than other professional groups. Conversely, police officers in our sample perceived neglect/emotional maltreatment behaviors as less serious than other professionals. Police officers also perceived physical abuse and emotional maltreatment behaviors as less abusive than other professionals. In our sample, professionals perceived maltreatment behaviors as less serious than the public, while the public was more hesitant to label behaviors as constituting abuse than professionals. These findings highlight the need to address inconsistencies in maltreatment perceptions across professionals and the public, to ensure the provision of appropriate intervention in suspected maltreatment cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research consistently shows that individuals who experience a sexual assault are at an increased risk to experience a subsequent sexual assault, a phenomenon known as sexual revictimization. However, little research has used a longitudinal methodology to examine rates and correlates of peer-to-peer sexual revictimization in middle and high school youth. The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature. Participants were 1,706 youth in Grades 7 to 10 (51.3% female) who completed surveys at the beginning and end of an academic year, approximately 6 months apart. Results showed that the vast majority (n = 1561, 90.4%) of youth reported no sexual victimization at either time point, 125 youth (7.2%) reported sexual victimization at one time point, and 40 youth (2.3%) reported sexual victimization at two time points. Among victims (n = 165), about one quarter (n = 40, 24.2%) were victimized at both time points. Binge drinking, depression, and suicidal thoughts were all higher among multiple and singular victims compared with nonvictims and among multiple victims compared with singular victims. Girls and sexual minorities were more likely to be multiple and singular victims compared with nonvictims and multiple victims compared with singular victims. Older youth were more likely to be multiple and singular victims compared with nonvictims. These data underscore the need for programming that concurrently focuses on mental health and sexual assault risk reduction, especially among high-risk youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is common knowledge that bullying victimization and coping strategies significantly affect the psychological well-being of children. However, which coping strategies are more effective at a particular level of bullying victimization is underexplored. Using survey data from 1,634 children from 10 schools in Wuhan, China, this study aims to investigate the abovementioned research gap. The results of factor analysis suggest that coping strategies of children in China can be divided into three types: help-seeking, avoidance, and self-defense. The results of multilevel modeling suggest that children adopting different coping strategies have distinct levels of depression. Help seekers show a significantly lower level of depression than self-defenders and avoiders. However, with increased bullying victimization, the effectiveness of the help-seeking strategy gradually decreases to offset the negative effect of bullying victimization on psychological well-being. Instead, those who adopt the self-defense strategy display a lower level of depression. The findings of this study suggest that there is no single coping strategy that is best for children, and the more effective strategy largely relies on the level of bullying victimization. The findings also imply that without external support, it is almost impossible for children to completely overcome the negative consequences of bullying on their own. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Child maltreatment is an international public health problem. The aftermath can appear in multiple aspects of individual health and development, including decreased physical and emotional function, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and suicide attempts. However, there is lack of evidence regarding the quality of life of maltreated children. This study aims to examine the association between children's maltreatment experience and their quality of life. This study employed a cross-sectional design and surveyed 1,093 primary school children (including migrant children and nonmigrant children) in Shanghai, China. The Parent–Child Conflict Tactics Scale (CTSPC) and Pediatrics Quality of Life Inventory were used to measure children's experiences of child maltreatment and their quality of life. Corporal punishment (89.47%) was the most prevalent form of child maltreatment, followed by physical assault (80.21%), psychological abuse (65.00%), and neglect (52.26%). Children's migration status was not associated with their quality of life; however, social capital factors were all associated with increased levels of quality of life. Children's victimization experience, including severe to very severe physical assault (β = −3.34/−3.80, p <.001), psychological assault (β = −3.74, p <.001), corporal punishment (β = −2.46, p <.01), and neglect (β = −4.31, p <.001), was associated with their decreased quality of life. The results show that child maltreatment threatens the quality of life of children. There is a need for developing effective interventions to prevent child maltreatment and reduce the adverse outcomes among children with maltreatment experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to analyze the incidence rate of workplace bullying in the Portuguese banking sector and to shed light on the most frequent bullying behaviors encountered in this understudied setting. In line with the idea of "powerlessness," these aspects are contrasted in terms of gender and organizational position. A questionnaire-based survey using two different but complementary strategies was conducted, to measure both the subjective perception of workplace bullying and the objective dimension of the concept. Results (N = 561) showed an incidence rate of 5.9% targets of bullying, according to the self-labeling method. Following the two-act criterion, 23.4% of the targets were found through the behavioral experience method. The respondents who indicated to be a target of bullying based on the self-labeling method reported mainly work-related negative acts (e.g., being exposed to an unmanageable workload, their opinions and views are ignored and their work is excessively monitored) in the behavioral experience method. In contrast to our expectations, not the bottom staff but the middle and top managers were mostly exposed to bullying acts. Regarding gender, men were more at risk of being a target of bullying behaviors at work than women, contrary to our hypothesis and to the general idea in the literature. In addition, there was an interaction effect of position and gender in the prevalence of bullying. Although this study has limitations due to its focus exclusively in the banking sector, the findings seem to have important implications in terms of designing intervention policies. In addition, it provides new insights about workplace bullying in a sector and a country that has been largely absent from research carried out so far in Europe. Finally, the results challenge and contextualize the dominant idea in the literature that the weaker and defenseless worker is the most likely target of bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to childhood victimization and adversity (CVA) is pervasive for child welfare (CW) involved youth. However, most research with CW samples has focused on types of maltreatment and fails to recognize the additive influence of exposure to CVA beyond maltreatment. A subsample aged 8 to 17 (n = 1,887) was drawn from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being (NSCAW) II. CVA included six domains. Behavioral health was assessed using the Child Depression Inventory, Trauma Symptom Checklist, and the internalizing and externalizing subscales of the Child Behavior Checklist. Logistic regression was used to explore the association between the number of CVA reported and the risk of clinical-range behavioral health symptoms. Analyses were adjusted for the cluster-based sampling design and sampling weights were applied to provide nationally representative estimates. More than 60% of the sample experienced three or more CVA domains. The number of CVAs reported was associated with all four behavioral health outcomes (p <.001). Children exposed to five or more domains were more likely to report high depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR] = 5.0), high trauma symptoms (OR = 7.0), and to have internalizing or externalizing symptoms reported by caregivers (OR = 18.0), as compared with children reporting one or less CVAs. Youth involved with CW are exposed to staggeringly high rates of CVA beyond maltreatment. For children who are already at great risk for behavioral health challenges, research to understand screening and interventions for CVA is needed to inform policy and practice initiatives to prevent and mitigate harm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a growing number of research studies using experience sampling methodologies, little is known about feasibility of these methodologies to the study of intimate partner violence (IPV). In the current study, we examine (a) participant retention and completeness in a 3-week daily diary study, (b) the discrepancy between daily dairy reports of IPV and retrospective summary reports of IPV, and (c) participant reactions to a daily diary assessment of IPV experiences. Participants were 923 undergraduate students (primarily White, heterosexual, and middle to upper-middle class) at two medium-sized universities in New England and the Midwest who received course credit for completing daily diary surveys for 3 weeks about past 24-hour IPV experiences. At the end of the survey, participants summarized their IPV experiences across the 3-week period and answered questions about their reactions to participating in the research protocol. Of the students who completed the baseline survey, 460 (49.8%) were retained until the last day and 229 (24.8%) completed all 21 days. Participants reported higher incidence and frequency of IPV in the daily diaries compared with the retrospective summary measure. On average, participants reported low levels of negative reactions to research participation (e.g., increased fear of partner) and moderate levels of positive reactions to research participation (e.g., gaining insight). IPV victimization before the study, and IPV perpetration and victimization during the daily diary period, predicted negative reactions to research participation reported at the final assessment, whereas IPV perpetration during the daily diary period predicted positive reactions. Overall, findings suggest that although retention is challenging, daily diaries studies may improve accuracy of IPV reporting, and that participants have few negative responses to daily diary methodologies inquiring about IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study examined the intergenerational patterns in the transmission of parental psychological aggression in China and the moderating effects of parental anxiety and depression. Participants were 552 children (M age = 12.81 years, 250 boys) and their parents who were recruited from two junior high schools in Jinan, the capital city of Shandong Province in China. The results showed that both maternal and paternal psychological aggressions were transmitted in Chinese societies, and maternal but not paternal anxiety and depression moderated the transmission of psychological aggression. The strength of transmission was stronger for mothers with high levels of anxiety and depression than those with low levels of anxiety and depression. The findings highlighted the roles of parental distal (psychological aggression experiences) and proximal (negative emotions) factors in their use of psychological aggression and suggested the need for intervention programs to focus on reduction of parental negative emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyberbullying is a public health concern worldwide, including China. Cyberbullying victimization has negative effects on adolescents' health and mental health. This study examined the associations between cyberbullying victimization and several health and mental health problems among adolescents in China. A total of 3,232 adolescents aged 15 to 17 were recruited from 18 high schools in Xi'an, China, using a stratified random sampling method. Self-report data were collected via survey from adolescents in Xi'an, China. In total, 22.2% and 6.3% of the sample reported having experienced cyberbullying victimization in their lifetime and the past year, respectively. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression revealed that lifetime and preceding-year cyberbullying victimization was, respectively, significantly associated with poorer health (β = −1.58, p <.001; β = −2.22, p <.001), more severe depressive symptoms (β= 3.74, p <.001; β = 4.48, p <.001), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (β = 7.16, p <.001; β = 4.77, p <.001). Binary regression revealed that lifetime and preceding-year cyberbullying victimization was, respectively, significantly related to higher odds of problem drinking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.64, p <.001; OR = 1.84, p <.01), cigarette smoking (OR = 1.69, p <.001; OR = 2.21, p <.001), and gambling engagement (OR = 1.35, p <.05; OR = 1.97, p <.01). Furthermore, greater levels of parent–child attachment were a protective factor against the negative effects of cyberbullying victimization on adolescents' depressive symptoms (p <.001) and PTSD (p <.05). It is critical to develop and implement prevention and early intervention programs that are tailored to address the needs of adolescents in China. Parental involvement needs to be incorporated into interventions for cyberbullying victimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying victimization among Chinese school-aged children has recently been recognized as a serious problem. However, studies on the prevalence and correlates of bullying victimization among left-behind children—whose parents live and work in urban areas while they remain at home in a rural area—have fallen far behind. We conducted a study based on one representative sample of 742 left-behind children in Grades 6 to 10 from rural China in 2010. The results indicate that a total of 31.6% of the left-behind children report recurrent bullying victimization, which is higher than that of their rural counterparts who live with their parents. Furthermore, left-behind children who experience bullying victimization are more likely to report being drunk frequently, poorer peer and family relationships, and academic problems. Future bullying prevention and intervention programs should be designed to meet the special needs of left-behind children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has found that a majority of individuals, irrespective of gender, experienced their first intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization between the ages of 18 and 24 years. Indeed, researchers have found that college students' experiences of IPV are comparable if not higher than that of the general population. IPV victimization also places individuals at a higher risk for developing psychological conditions. In addition, when IPV experiences occur on college campuses, there are a variety of institutional factors that may impact the outcome of the traumatic event for the survivor. The present study seeks to examine whether institutional betrayal moderates the relationship between IPV and different psychological outcomes (i.e., depression, posttraumatic stress, anxiety). The study analyzed survey responses from a sample of 316 undergraduate students attending a Midwestern University. Three separate hierarchical regression analyses were conducted for each of the maladaptive psychological outcomes. Results showed that institutional betrayal was positively correlated with depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and anxiety symptoms. Interestingly, institutional betrayal was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and anxiety symptoms when controlling for the effects of physical violence, sexual violence, and psychological aggression. The present study highlights the significance of the impact of institutional betrayal, independent of interpersonal betrayal, on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social research has long argued that collective resources and major events like disasters have an important impact on violent crime, but it has been difficult to show their effects because data are scarce. We conducted a large survey in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina that included questions about collective resources. We aggregated our sample to the census tract level and merged it with data on concentrated disadvantage and violent crime. Our analyses show that bridging social networks are associated with lower levels of violent crime, while bonding social networks are associated with higher levels. Social trust is associated with lower levels of violent crime, but civic engagement has no impact. Concentrated disadvantage is associated with higher levels of violent crime. Finally, our results suggest that disaster recovery increased the importance of collective resources but not concentrated disadvantage on violent crime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reports findings from what is, to the authors' knowledge, the first nationally representative survey of public attitudes toward honor-based violence (HBV) in a Middle East country affected by such violence, and one of very few if any such national surveys undertaken in any context. In a telephone survey of 1,050 adult citizens of the Arab Gulf state of Kuwait, we collect attitudinal and behavioral measures of support for HBV. Facilitated by vignettes, item order randomization, and other survey best practices designed to reduce social desirability bias, the survey measures both support for HBV in principle and support for legislation permitting it. We also assess the correlates of views toward honor-based crimes, including demographic attributes (age, sex, and education), social indicators (economic status, religiosity, and tribal attachment), and political indicators (political interest, engagement, and ideology). These unique data permit investigation into the individual-level predictors of support for HBV among citizens of a country that has experience with HBV and laws that afford reduced punishment for perpetrators of honor killing. Results reveal, first, considerable levels of public support in Kuwait for HBV. Half of citizens report agreement that physical violence is justified as punishment for female adultery, whereas a third of both men and women say they would support a law permitting violence against a female adulterer. The strongest positive predictors of individual support for HBV are tribal attachment, religiosity, and support for political Islam. Surprisingly perhaps, permissive views of HBV are most likely among the youngest generation of Kuwaitis. The findings have important implications for understanding the factors that help explain the existence and persistence of HBV in the Middle East, in Islamic contexts, and elsewhere where it occurs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe impact of different forms of violence on health has been demonstrated in a substantial number of studies. At the same time, it has been acknowledged that different forms of violence tend to co-occur, such that many survivors of violence have been exposed to more than one violent event and/or more than one form of violence. Despite mounting evidence concerning the associations between polyvictimization and health, there are still important gaps in this knowledge concerning adult female population's sexual health, including both physical and mental aspects associated with it. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exposure to emotional, physical, and sexual violence among women and associations with poor self-perceived health, dissatisfaction with life, stress, and worry due to sex life and sexual dysfunction. The term polyvictimization is used in this article to express the exposure to more than one form of violence. We used data from a cross-sectional study carried out in Estonia in 2014 among women aged 16 to 44 years. Responses of 2,333 women were analyzed for this article. Of all the respondents, 27.9% were polyvictimized. Women who had been exposed to all three forms of violence had, after adjusting for confounding factors, the highest risk of reporting poor self-perceived health, limited daily activities due to chronic health problems, feelings of depression, dissatisfaction with life, stress, and worry due to sex life and sexual dysfunction. The results of this study demonstrate that exposure to violence is associated with poorer health outcomes and that the association is stronger among those who have been polyvictimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents' interactions with animals are of increasing interest and their beneficial developmental outcomes are well known. However, negative interactions such as perpetrating cruelty toward animals during childhood and adolescence have been related with child abuse, domestic violence, and later interpersonal violence. Cruelty toward animals by adolescents has been reported predominately in criminal and clinical samples, and links have been made between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence. However, studies often lack a clear definition of animal cruelty and the animal involved. The present study addresses methodological shortcomings by providing a clear definition of the cruelty acts and the animals involved and the time frame within which cruelty acts have been taken place. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of animal cruelty of 979 British adolescents (419 male, 497 female, M age = 15.1 ± 1.57 years) by means of a survey questionnaire administered in school. Animal cruelty was investigated encompassing deliberate and nondeliberate cruelty acts, a clear definition of the target animals was included and a time frame was provided. Furthermore, acceptability of animal cruelty, engaging in antisocial behavior, and family affluence were investigated. Results show high reliabilities for the measures applied. Exploratory factor analysis reveals different types of animal cruelty. Gender differences were observed for deliberate and accidental cruelty acts, with boys reporting higher levels than girls. Younger adolescents reported higher accidental cruelty acts than older ones. Acceptance of animal cruelty played a significant role in predicting animal cruelty, together with antisocial behaviors and place of living. The present study shows for the first time the importance of distinguishing between different types of animal cruelty and defining the animals involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient assault is a serious issue for the well-being of staff in psychiatric hospitals. To guide workplace responses to patient assault, more information is needed about social support from different sources and whether those supports are associated with staff well-being. The present study examines social support after patient assault from work-based and nonwork-based sources, and whether inpatient psychiatric staff desires support from them and perceive the support received as being effective. Received support across sources was examined in relations to staff well-being (physical health, mental health, anger, sleep quality) and perceptions of safety. Survey data was collected from 348 clinical staff in a large public forensic mental hospital. Among the 242 staff who reported an assault in the last year, 71% wanted support and 72% found effective support from at least one source. Generally, effective support from supervisors, coworkers, and their combination was associated with better well-being. Support from nonwork sources was related to less concerns about safety, but not to other well-being measures. However, 28% of staff did not receive effective support from any source postassault. Gaps in support as reported in this study and as found by other investigators call for systematic programming by hospital organizations to enhance the well-being of clinical staff, which in turn has implications for patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual assault, partner abuse, and stalking are major problems on college campuses. Past research has demonstrated a host of physiological and psychological outcomes associated with victimization; however, there has been little research conducted on the potential academic outcomes associated with victimization. The purpose of this study was to measure the relation between academic outcomes and experiences of sexual violence, intimate partner violence, and stalking victimization among college students. A sample of 6,482 undergraduate students currently enrolled at one of eight universities in New England was surveyed using items from the subscales of the College Persistence Questionnaire (Academic Efficacy, Collegiate Stress, Institutional Commitment, and Scholastic Conscientiousness). All four types of victimization were associated with significant differences on academic outcomes after controlling for sex and year in school, with victimized students reporting lower academic efficacy, higher college-related stress, lower institutional commitment, and lower scholastic conscientiousness. Polyvictimization was also significantly correlated with outcomes, with the greater number of types of victimization experienced by students being associated with more negative academic outcomes. Implications for future research and campus response were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study advanced knowledge regarding the mechanisms through which intimate partner violence relates to psychological and financial distress with a sample of diverse low-income women. Data were collected from 147 female domestic violence survivors who were abused by a male partner within the past 6 months. Three hierarchical regression analyses revealed that psychological, physical, and economic abuse were predictive of posttraumatic stress, depression, and economic self-sufficiency among survivors. Guided by the Conservation of Resources Theory, the loss of financial, work, and interpersonal resources also predicted these three outcomes, above and beyond abuse experiences (i.e., economically controlling behaviors, economic sabotage, and interpersonal resource loss were unique predictors). In addition, bootstrap mediation analyses showed that interpersonal resource loss partially mediated the relationship between psychological abuse and mental health outcomes. Together, these findings can be used to inform future interventions to promote the financial and psychological well-being of survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examined the associations between weight status (body mass index [BMI] and perceived weight measures) and school bullying experiences (being bullied and bullying others) of children and adolescents in urban China. A national representative sample (n = 3,675) of all types of pre-college schools from seven Chinese cities was employed for the analysis. Students from all grades in high school, vocational school, middle school, and primary grades 4 to 6 were surveyed. Height, weight, perceived weight status, and experiences of being bullied and bullying others were obtained. The results demonstrated that the objective weight status (BMI) was neither associated with being bullied overall by others nor associated with bullying others, but the subjective/perceived weight status was significantly related to being bullied. Regarding the specific forms of being bullied, underweight (measured by BMI) students were less likely to be cyberbullied, whereas obese (measured by BMI) students were more likely to be cyberbullied. Students who perceived themselves as slightly fat and too fat were more likely to be verbally bullied. Overweight and obese students were more likely to bully others physically and relationally, and the students who perceived themselves as too thin were positively associated with physically bullying others. Moreover, BMI had a role in the involvement in school bullying for boys, whereas perceived weight status had a role in school bullying involvement in girls. These results indicate that school bullying prevention and intervention should consider weight status, as well as gender differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood exposure to violence can lead to physical, mental, and emotional harm, whether a child is a direct victim or a witness to violent events. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between witnessing intimate partner violence (IPV) and victimization among children. A cross-sectional, national study was conducted in secondary high schools in the five main provinces of Saudi Arabia (SA) using International Society for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) ISPCAN Child Abuse and Neglect Screening Tool–Child: Home version. Boys and girls, public and private schools were selected to participate. Students (N = 16,939) aged 15 to 18 years completed the survey instrument which included demographics, different types of abuse (physical, psychological, and sexual), neglect, and witnessing IPV. Mean age of the participants was 16.8 ± 0.9 years, and 51% were boys. Eighty-one percent lived with both parents, 6% with single parent, and 2% with step-parent. Fifty-two percent of the participants witnessed IPV. Those who witnessed IPV were more likely to be abused compared with those who did not (p <.01). Among those who witnessed physical IPV, girls had a significantly greater likelihood of experiencing psychological abuse (odds ratio [OR] = 3.7, confidence interval [CI] = [1.9, 6.8]), physical abuse (OR = 1.3, CI = [1.0, 1.6]), and neglect (OR = 1.6, CI = [1.4, 1.9]) but less likelihood of experiencing sexual abuse (OR = 0.6, CI = [0.5, 0.7]) than boys. Among those who witnessed psychological IPV, girls had a significantly greater likelihood of experiencing neglect (OR = 1.3, CI = [1.2, 1.5]) but less likelihood of experiencing sexual abuse (OR = 0.5, CI = [0.5, 0.6]) than boys. Boys who witnessed physical IPV and psychological IPV had a significantly greater likelihood of experiencing sexual abuse compared with girls. Witnessing IPV increases the chances of child and adolescent victimization. Multidisciplinary approaches involving social workers, law enforcement personnel, and domestic violence and child protection workers could effectively respond to this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is very little evidence whether recalling and answering questions about abuse or interpersonal violence has a positive or negative impact on participants of such research. This is an important ethical dilemma to ensure an appropriate risk-benefit ratio in research with young people is maintained. We assessed reported harms, benefits, and regrets of young adolescents who participated in a sensitive research project, and compared the harms and benefits in those who had and had not been victims and/or perpetrators of abuse or intimate partner violence. Participants were 3,264 adolescents aged 12 to 15 years in 41 public schools in the Western Cape, South Africa, who completed a survey about intimate partner violence, verbal, physical, and sexual abuse, as part of an HIV prevention cluster randomized controlled trial. The majority of participants reported research participation as beneficial (70.3%), while 27.7% reported harms and 14% regrets. Victims of abuse were more likely than non-victims to report benefits (71.9% vs. 67.1%; p =.02) and harms (31% vs. 20.9%; p <.01) and were less likely to report regret (13.1% vs. 16.7%; p =.02). Perpetrators of abuse were less likely than non-perpetrators to report benefits (67.4% vs. 72.8%; p =.01) and more likely to report harms (36.4% vs. 26.1%; p <.01) and regrets (17.4% vs. 13.3%; p =.01). Our findings suggested that research participation was more likely to have a positive rather than a negative emotional impact on young adolescents and that relatively few regretted participating. Victims and perpetrators of abuse were more likely to report benefits than harms, supporting the ethical appropriateness of ongoing research on abuse and violence. We recommend that further research is required to clarify and standardize terminology and instruments to quantify these kinds of evaluations, including measurement of the severity and intensity of reported benefits, harms and regrets, and the longer term impact of participation in sensitive research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]