NCJ Number
228654
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 14 Issue: 4 Dated: November 2009 Pages: 316-329
Date Published
November 2009
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study sought to determine whether there is evidence to support the contribution of various hypothesized pathways in the development of poly-victimization among children.
Abstract
The findings from the study do support the idea that several pathways may predispose children to become the targets of multiple kinds of victimization. All four hypothesized pathways showed significant independent association with poly-victim onset. The identification of such pathways and the ages of high onset should help practitioners design programs for preventing vulnerable children from becoming poly-victims. Some children, who have been labeled poly-victims, experience very high levels of victimizations of different types. Using data from the Developmental Victimization Survey (DVS), a longitudinal study of a representative sample of United States children and adolescents, this study sought to determine whether there was evidence to support the contribution of four hypotheses: (1) residing in a dangerous community; (2) living in a dangerous family; (3) having a chaotic, multiproblem family environment; and (4) having emotional problems that increase risk behavior, engender antagonism, and compromise the capacity to protect oneself, about the origins of poly-victimization. Figures, tables, and references