title: Polyvictimization by dating partners and mental health among U.S. college students.
abstract: Studies on mental health effects of partner violence often ignore multiple victimizations or polyvictimization. The current study had several objectives: (a) examine the rate of physical, psychological, and sexual victimization and combinations of them (polyvictimization) among a sample of students at 19 U.S. colleges; (b) examine the association between victimization and depressive symptoms and posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms; and (c) examine the relation of polyvictimization to these mental health effects. A substantial number were polyvictims. As predicted, polyvictimization in almost all analyses was the strongest predictor of PTS symptoms for both men and women. Polyvictimization was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms for women. These findings highlight the importance of including polyvictimization in future work on the mental health effects of partner violence.
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg, Middletown, USA. sabina@psu.edu
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sabina
authors.forename: Murray A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Straus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003380:Courtship; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D010379:Peer Group; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013179:Spouse Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology