Types of Child Victimization and Associations with Clinically-Significant Levels of Anxiety, Depression, and Aggression

Background: Children are among the most victimized segment of the population in the United States. Research findings have established that experiencing victimization is associated with increased risk for poor behavioral health outcomes. In this study, we expand upon existing research by examining the prevalence of different types of victimization and the extent to which each type increased the odds of experiencing clinically-significant levels of anxiety, depression, and aggression.

Method: Using data from the Developmental Victimization Survey and a nationally-representative sample of youth ages 10-17, we completed weighted univariate analyses to determine the estimated prevalence of each type of violence victimization (physical child abuse, emotional child abuse, neglect, sibling abuse, bullying, emotional bullying, sexual assault, and witnessing intimate partner violence/IPV). We used weighted logistic regression models, controlling for child sex, child race/ethnicity, parent education, and household socioeconomic status, to estimate the association between each type of victimization and anxiety, depression, and aggression. For all analyses, we dichotomized each of the victimization variables as ‘any experience of that type of violence’ vs ‘no experience of that type of violence’. For all analyses, anxiety, depression, and aggression were dichotomized based on t-scores where a score greater than 0.7 was categorized as clinically significant.

Results: The estimated prevalence of victimization ranged from 1.3% for neglect to 41.3% for sibling abuse. Physical and emotional child abuse, sibling abuse, bullying, and emotional bullying were associated with increased odds of clinically-significant anxiety, depression, and aggression. Witnessing IPV was associated with increased odds of clinically-significant aggression but not depression or anxiety. Neglect and sexual assault not were significantly associated with any outcome.

Conclusions: The effects of experiencing different types of victimization are associated with unique behavioral health outcomes. Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and aggression were not only increased when victimization occurred but were in the range warranting clinical intervention. In contrast with other types of victimization, children experiencing physical and emotional abuse, physical and emotional bullying, and sibling abuse were multi-symptomatic. Given the association with clinically-significant symptoms, the prevalence of sibling abuse and emotional bullying is of particular concern—warranting regular screening, assessment, and clinical treatment when detected. Although, assessments and evidence-based treatments are available, it is less clear whether children are consistently being screened or assessed and receiving treatment following sibling abuse and emotional bullying.