NCJ Number
248068
Journal
Child Abuse and Neglect Volume: 38 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2014 Pages: 1180-1190
Date Published
July 2014
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study explored the relationship between self-reported victimization and psychological maladjustment in adolescents, and investigated whether self-compassion was a protective factor for psychological maladjustment in victimized adolescents.
Abstract
This study on the relationship between victimization and psychological maladjustment and the role that self-compassion played in mediating the relationship found that victimization was positively associated with psychological maladjustment; that adolescents reporting multiple victimizations showed significantly higher levels of psychological maladjustment; and that different types of victimizations led to different effects on the adolescents' psychological maladjustment. In addition, the study found that self-compassion was a protective factor for psychological maladjustment and that it partially mediated the relationship between victimization and psychological maladjustment; and that it reduced the negative consequences in adolescents who self-reported being victimized. Data for this study were obtained from a sample of 109 adolescents (aged 15-18 years old) from a province in Valencia, Spain, who were doing poorly in school. The participants completed three assessment instruments: the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire, the Youth Self-Report, and the Self-Compassion Scale. Analysis of the data indicates that the level of psychological maladjustment associated with victimization in this group of adolescents was related to the type of victimization the adolescent reported and that those adolescents with higher levels of self-compassion had lower levels of psychological maladjustment. These findings suggest the need for including ways to improve adolescents' levels of self-compassion in adolescent intervention and prevention programs. Study limitations are discussed. Figure, tables, and references