Mental Health Correlates of Criminal Victimization: A Random Community Survey

• NCJ Number: 111323
• Journal: Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology Volume: 53 Issue: 6 Dated: (1985) Pages: 866-873
• Author(s): D G Kilpatrick; C L Best; L J Veronen; A E Amick; L A Villeponteaux; G A Ruff
• Date Published: 1985
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): R01 MH 38052
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health; Medical University of South Carolina
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: An earlier version of this paper was presented at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association, Toronto, Canada, August 1984.

Annotation

A representative sample of 2,004 adult women were interviewed about victimization experiences and mental health problems.

Abstract

After classification of the women into victimization groups, the occurrence of three mental health problems was compared across type of crime. Rates of 'nervous breakdowns,' suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts were significantly higher for crime victims than for nonvictims. Victims of attempted rape, completed rape, and attempted sexual molestation had problems more frequently than did victims of attempted robbery, completed robbery, aggravated assault, or completed molestation. Problems were not mediated by income and were affected only marginally by age and race. Nearly one rape victim in five (19.2 percent) had attempted suicide, whereas only 2.2 percent of nonvictims had done so. Most sexual assault victims' mental health problems came after their victimization. Findings suggest that crime victims are at risk for the development of major mental health problems, some of which are life threatening in nature. (Publisher abstract)