The association of polyvictimization with violent ideations in late adolescence and early adulthood: A longitudinal study

Abstract

Violent ideations are increasingly recognized as an important psychological predictor for aggressive and violent behavior. However, little is known about the processes that contribute to violent ideations. This paper examines the extent to which polyvictimization triggers violent ideations in late adolescence and early adulthood, while also adjusting for dispositional and situational factors as well as prior violent ideations. Data came from three waves of the Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood into Adulthood (z‐proso; n = 1465). Full‐information maximum likelihood Tobit models were fitted to regress violent ideations experienced at ages 17 and 20 on multiple victimization experiences in the preceding 12 months while controlling for antecedent developmental risk factors and prior violent ideations. The results showed that violent ideations in late adolescence and early adulthood are influenced by violent thoughts, aggressive behavior, violent media consumption, moral neutralization of violence, and internalizing symptoms measured 2 years earlier. Experiences of polyvictimization significantly contributed to an increase in violent ideations both during late adolescence and in early adulthood. The exposure–response relationship between victimization and violent ideations did not significantly differ by sex. The findings are consistent with the notion that violent ideations are triggered by a retaliation‐linked psychological mechanism that entails playing out other directed imaginary aggressive scenarios specifically in response to experiencing intentional harm‐doing by others.

Cohort Profile: The Zurich Project on the Social Development from Childhood to Adulthood (z-proso)

“…Similarly, one study examined the association between poly-victimisation and subsequent violent ideations in late adolescence and early adulthood. It found an exposure–response relationship insofar as each additional victimisation experience added to the probability of an individual experiencing ideations of inflicting harm on another person (Eisner et al, 2021 ).…”

Violencia familiar y victimización fuera del hogar en adolescentes. Diferencias de género en relación con la polivictimización

“…Como ya se señalaba, los efectos adversos de la polivictimización son más agudos, precisamente porque se trata de una victimización prolongada y múltiple, y cuando el suceso es repetido se incrementa la posibilidad de que se experimente como un evento traumático (APA, 2014). Entre otras cosas, la polivictimización se ha asociado a estrés postraumático y conductas internalizantes y externalizantes (Dierkhising et al 2019;Lapshina & Stewart, 2021), trauma (Finkelhor et al 2007a, Turner et al, 2016, ideaciones violentas (Eisner et al, 2021); y también se ha relacionado con otras experiencias adversas y problemas estructurales como vivir en comunidades conflictivas y bajos niveles de apoyo familiar (Guerra et al 2017;Turner et al 2016), lo que afecta no solo su recuperación, sino también la posibilidad de protección y de prevención (Guerra et al 2017).…”

Developmental Relations Between Bullying Victimization and Suicidal Ideation in Middle Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: Do Internalizing Problems and Substance Use Mediate Their Links?

“…Previous studies, using data from the z-proso study, have also examined bullying victimization in relation to its outcomes, such as internalizing problems (Averdijk et al, 2016), suicidal ideation and self-injury (Zhu et al, 2021), substance use (Obsuth et al, 2018), and violent ideations (Eisner et al, 2021). However, none have applied a withinperson approach to examine the mediating mechanisms underlying the victimization-suicidality link.…”