Lifetime poly-victimization and psychopathological symptoms in Mexican adolescents

Abstract

Background: There is a lack of research on the impact of poly-victimization on mental health in Mexico. Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between poly-victimization and both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, in a community sample of Mexican adolescents. The starting hypothesis of this study was that poly-victimization would be a better predictor of internalizing and externalizing symptoms than individual categories of victimization (conventional crimes, caregiver victimization, peer and sibling victimization, sexual victimization, witnessing victimization, and electronic victimization). Participants and settings: The sample comprised 1068 adolescents from public schools in Morelia city (Western Mexico). Adolescents completed the Mexican version of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire and the Latin version of the Youth Self Report. Methods: Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to determine the contributions of victimization and poly-victimization in predicting internalizing and externalizing symptomatology. Results: Poly-victimization accounted for more variability in scores of externalizing and internalizing symptoms than a single type of victimization. Even when poly-victimization was considered, conventional crimes contributed to predicting both internalizing and externalizing symptoms, caregiver victimization was a predictor of internalizing symptoms and witnessing victimization was a protective factor for internalizing symptoms and total problems. Conclusions: This is the first study in Mexico analyzing the psychological impact of poly-victimization. Our results should be taken into consideration by clinicians and those who design public policies. Conventional crimes need to be specifically addressed when assessing Mexican adolescents.