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Child Maltreatment
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Polyvictimization, Childhood Victimization, and Psychological Distress in College Women

Jessica M. Richmond

Radford University

Ann N. Elliott

Radford University, aelliott{at}radford.edu

Thomas W. Pierce

Radford University

Jeffery E. Aspelmeier

Radford University

Apryl A. Alexander

Radford University

Two studies examined the relationships among polyvictimization (i.e., high cumulative levels of victimization), six categories of childhood victimization (i.e., property crime, physical assault, peer/sibling, witnessed/indirect, sexual, and child maltreatment), and current psychological symptomatology in college females. Results indicated that exposure to multiple types of childhood victimization is common. Regression analyses revealed that polyvictimization accounted for a significant proportion of variability in scores for psychological distress beyond that accounted for by any victimization category alone. Moreover, the six categories separately accounted for little to no variability beyond that accounted for by polyvictimization. Finally, polyvictimization accounted for a significant proportion of variability in scores for psychological distress, beyond that already accounted for through the simultaneous entry of all six categories of victimization. Findings reiterate the importance for clinicians and researchers to comprehensively assess multiple categories of childhood victimization and polyvictimization and provide preliminary evidence that the total number of lifetime victimizations is at least as important, if not more important, than individual categories of victimization in predicting psychological distress.

Key Words: adult survivors • long-term effects • adult retrospective reports • child victims • polyvictimization • multiple victimization • cumulative adversity • multitype maltreatment

This version was published on May 1, 2009

Child Maltreatment, Vol. 14, No. 2, 127-147 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1077559508326357
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