The impact of adolescent sexual victimization: Standardized measures of anxiety, depression, and behavioral deviancy

Standardized measures of depression, anxiety, and behavioral deviancy were administered to a nonclinical sample of 67 high school girls (M age = 16.3; SD = 1.28). In addition, an adolescent version of the Sexual Experiences Survey was administered to assess the history of peer sexual victimization. In this sample, 55.0% of the girls had experienced at least one sexual victimization, including 7.5% of them who had experienced completed forcible rape. Data were analyzed via multivariate analysis of variance and multiple regression. Sexually victimized girls scored significantly higher than nonvictimized girls on the Trait Anxiety Index and the Beck Depression Inventory, but not on the Antisocial Index of the Jesness Inventory. The extent of victimization contributed significantly to the prediction of both the depression score and the anxiety score. The clinical significance of the reported symptoms is discussed. Although the study was not based on a probability sample, the prevalence of rape was consistent with existing literature. Because the sample was limited to girls who have remained involved in social systems, the measured symptoms probably are a conservative estimate of retrospectively measured postassault standardized test scores among sexually victimized adolescents. VioLit summary: OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research by Gidyez and Koss was to examine the affect of adolescent sexual victimization on the victims scores on standardized measures of anxiety, depression, and behavioral deviancy. METHODOLOGY: A quasi-experimental cross-sectional design was utilized to gather data from a convenience sample of 67 adolescent girls residing in Ohio. Parental permission was obtained for all members of the final sample. The sample had a consent rate of 25%. The authors measured sexual victimization using a self-report instrument which was a modified version of the Sexual Experiences Survey. This survey has an internal consistency reliability of .74. Its test-retest stability was measured as .93. If a girl responded yes to any item in the survey she was considered sexually victimized. victimizations were completed forcible rape. Levels of sexual victimization were operationally defined as the highest question on the survey. This was done to define a continuum of sexual victimization. The authors measured anxiety, depression, and behavioral deviancy as the possible after effects of adolescent sexual assault. Anxiety was measured using the Trait Anxiety Scale. Trait anxiety was defined as relatively stable individual differences in anxiety proneness. Depression was measured using the Beck Depression Inventory. The Asocial Index of the Jesness Inventory was used to measure behavioral deviancy. The victim and non-victim results were analyzed using one-way multivariate analysis of variance to see if there were significant differences. The relationship between demographic variables and anxiety and depression scores was examined to reveal predictive factors. FINDINGS/DISCUSSION: Fifty-five percent of the girls reported at least one sexual victimization. Seven point five percent of the girls' victimization were completed forcible rape. The overall value of the MANOVA test was significant. The authors found significant differences between the victimized and non-victimized groups on the Trait Anxiety Scale and on the Beck Depression Inventory using subsequent univariate analysis of variance. On the beck Depression Inventory 6.7% of non-victims fell in the moderate range of depression and none of the non-victims scored in the severe range. Twenty-seven percent of the victims scored in the moderate range and 10.8% of the victims fell in the severe range of depression. Significantly more victims than non-victims had contemplated suicide to the point of considering a plan for their suicide. Victims experienced more symptoms of anxiety than non-victimized girls. Sexually victimized girls experience higher levels of symptoms of depression than non-victimized girls. Demographic variables found to be predictive were, age, presence of a stepfather, family income, divorced parents, therapy experience, ethnicity, and victimization level. Subjects that were nonwhite and were more severely victimized had higher Beck Depression Inventory scores than the other subjects in the sample. AUTHORS' RECOMMENDATIONS: The authors suggested that sexual victimization be considered by counselors as a possible contributing factor in the emotional disturbance of adolescents. Further research, the author noted, could examine the quality of an adolescent's family relationships, the violence of the assault, the victim's mental health status before the incident, supportive network availability, and the victim's appraisal of the victimization experience. (CSPV Abstract - Copyright © 1992-2007 by the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Institute of Behavioral Science, Regents of the University of Colorado) KW - Ohio KW - Juvenile Female KW - Juvenile Victim KW - Female Victim KW - Sexual Assault Effects KW - Sexual Assault Victim KW - Juvenile Anxiety KW - Juvenile Depression KW - Victim Anxiety KW - Victim Depression KW - Depression Causes KW - Anxiety Causes KW - Psychological Victimization Effects KW - Juvenile Deviance KW - Deviance Causes KW - Violence Against Women Language: en