Further victimization of child sexual abuse victims: A latent class typology of re-victimization trajectories. (April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Papalia, Nina L.; Luebbers, Stefan; Ogloff, James R.P.; Cutajar, Margaret; Mullen, Paul E.; Mann, Emily
• Is Part Of: Child abuse & neglect. Volume 66(2017)
• Page Start: 112
• Page End: 129
• Publication Date: 2017-04
• Subjects: Child sexual abuse -- Follow-up study -- Re-victimization -- Trajectory -- Life-course -- Linked administrative data; Child abuse -- Periodicals; 362.76
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2017.02.040
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0145-2134

Abstract

Abstract: The association between child sexual abuse (CSA) and risk for re-victimization is well-documented; however, less is known about the temporal progression of re-victimization experiences over the early life-course among CSA survivors, and whether this differs from that of those without known sexual abuse histories. This study investigated whether there are distinct temporal pathways of interpersonal re-victimization between the ages of 10–25 years among medically confirmed CSA cases, and considered whether abuse variables, re-victimization variables, and the presence of other adverse outcomes, were associated with heterogeneity in re-victimization pathways. The data were collected as part of a large-scale data-linkage study in which the medical records of 2759 cases of contact-CSA between 1964 and 1995 were linked, between 13 and 44 years following abuse, to police and public psychiatric databases; cases were compared to a matched community sample ( n = 2677). Using a subsample of 510 (401 victims; 109 comparisons) individuals with an interpersonal (re)victimization history, we examined the aggregate 'age-(re)victimization' curves for CSA victims and comparisons, respectively. Further, we applied longitudinal latent class analysis to explore heterogeneity in re-victimization trajectories among abuse survivors across their early life-course. Four latent pathways were identified, labeled: Normative ; Childhood-Limited ; Emerging-Adulthood ; and Chronic re-victimization trajectories. Older age at abuse, a criminal history, and mental health problems were uniquely predictive of membership to the more problematic and persistent re-victimization trajectories. Findings indicate that individuals exposed to CSA during adolescence may be particularly vulnerable to poorer re-victimization trajectories, characterized by multiple risk indices, and thus may warrant increased service provision.