The impact of polyvictimisation on children in LMICs: the case of Jamaica

Abstract

a department of child and adolescent health, University of the West indies, Kingston, Jamaica; b University of north carolina at chapel hill, chapel hill, nc, Usa ABSTRACTChildren who experience polyvictimization in high-income countries (HICs) are at higher risk for mental health-related trauma symptoms. There is limited information on the impact of polyvictimisation on children with high levels of exposure, as occurs in some low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). This study investigates the impact of poyvictimization on Jamaican children's intellectual functioning, achievement, and disruptive behaviors. Data from a geographical subgroup (n = 1171) of a 1986 population based birth cohort study were utilised. At age 11-12 years, the sub-group completed questionnaires on exposure to violence at school, at home and in their communities, and tests of academic and intellectual functioning. Their parents completed questionnaires on family resources (socioeconomic status) and children's behaviour. Findings from Structural Equational Modelling indicated that for both genders, exposure to polyvictimisation had a direct negative effect on intellectual functioning, and an indirect negative effect on achievement mediated through intellectual functioning. For boys, polyvictimisation had a direct negative effect on behavioural risk. Family resources was negatively associated with exposure to polyvictimisation. In Jamaica, a LMIC country with high levels of polyvictimisation, there is a significant negative effect of polyvictimisation on children. The secondaryand tertiary-level interventions to address these effects are costly to LMICs with limited financial resources. Prevention of exposure to violence in all its forms is therefore the recommended approach to reduce violence-related morbidity.

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“…These results may be showing that the protective factor of HRQoL associated with parental educational level would be only effective in low violence exposure settings. These findings are congruent with previous studies that found a higher impact of violence exposure over adolescents’ HRQoL [ 42 , 54 ], and partially congruent with studies that found better HRQoL and well-being among participants from rural areas (or less violent settings) and belonging to higher levels of parental education families [ 8 , 43 ]. It is difficult to connect these results with previous literature since little research has been conducted connecting violence exposure and subjective well-being scores in children and adolescents.…”

“…The results related with mental health are congruent with studies conducted in the Brazilian adolescent population exposed to violence in which female adolescents reported higher levels of anxious and depressive symptomatology such as sleep disturbances and having feelings of loneliness [ 22 ]. Negative effects on mental health outcomes experienced by children in Jamaica have also been shown in regard with violence exposure [ 43 ], being this finding congruent with the presented results.…”

“…Other studies conducted in Latin American and Caribbean countries where contexts of vulnerability are similar to the assessed sample in terms of poverty and violence, agree with the obtained results. Evidence that connect violence and poverty with decreasing children and adolescents’ mental health have been found in Colombia [ 44 ], Brazil [ 22 ] and Jamaica [ 43 ], as well as in the border between United States and Mexico [ 45 ]. All of these studies have added evidence to the field of the negative consequences that younger population may suffer due to the lack of resources and the social determinants associated to it.…”

“…The existence of a relationship among poverty, violence and mental health has been studied in several Latin America and Caribbean countries. For instance, Samms-Vaughan & Lambert [ 43 ] studied the implication of poly-victimization in Jamaican adolescents’ mental health, finding that the associated factors: poverty and violence, not only have negative consequences in adolescents’ mental health, but also they involve consequences in terms of intellectual functioning and behavioral outcomes. In this regard, there are remarkable studies conducted in especially vulnerable populations in Colombia and in the border region of the United States and Mexico.…”

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“…Creating safety nets and publically funded systems for children also has a key role to play in developing cognitive capital. Failing to create safe environments for children and subsequent exposure to violence reduces intellectual functioning (Samms-Vaughan & Lambert, 2017). In highincome countries, exposure to violence is associated with reduced intellectual functioning and academic achievement (Gilbert et al, 2009;Jonson-Reid, Drake, Kim, Porterfield, & Han, 2004;Lansford et al, 2002).…”