Exploring the psychological and somatic impact of identity theft.
Identity theft is a new and growing form of white-collar crime. This exploratory study examined the psychological and somatic impact of identity theft and coping methods utilized by victims. Thirty-seven victims of identity theft participated in regional victim focus groups. Participants completed a victim impact questionnaire designed by the authors and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18). The majority of participants expressed an increase in maladaptive psychological and somatic symptoms post victimization. Results on the BSI indicated that identity theft victims with unresolved cases, in contrast to those with resolved cases, were more likely to have clinically elevated scores when compared with a normative sample. Relatively similar coping mechanisms were utilized across victims. The results from this study suggest that victims of identity theft do have increased psychological and physical distress, and for those whose cases remain unresolved, distress is maintained over time.
Sharp
Tracy
T
West Virginia University, Department of Psychology, 1124 Life Sciences Building, 53 Campus Drive, P.O. Box 6040, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.
Shreve-Neiger
Andrea
A
Fremouw
William
W
Kane
John
J
Hutton
Shawn
S
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013800:Theft / Q000523:psychology*