The Complexity of Adaptation to Childhood Polyvictimization in Youth and Young Adults: Recommendations for Multidisciplinary Responders

Abstract

Exposure to violence is pervasive in our society. An abundance of research has demonstrated that individuals who experience polyvictimization (PV)-prolonged or multiple forms of traumatic victimizations-are at heightened risk for continuing to experience repeated victimizations throughout their lifetimes. The current article reviews several overlapping constructs of traumatic victimizations with the ultimate goal of providing a unifying framework for conceptualizing prolonged and multiple victimization (defined in this article as PV) as a precursor to complex post-traumatic biopsychosocial adaptations, revictimization, and in some instances reenactment as a perpetrator (defined as complex trauma [CT]). This model is then applied to three socially disadvantaged victim populations-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning; commercially sexually exploited individuals; and urban communities of color-who are at heightened risk for PV and for exhibiting complex clinical presentations to demonstrate how the PV-CT framework can destigmatize, reframe, and ultimately reduce health disparities experienced by these populations. Trauma-informed recommendations are provided to aid researchers and multidisciplinary providers working to reduce harm and improve the quality of life for polyvictims.

Moral Disengagement as an Explanatory Factor of the Polyivictimization of Bullying and Cyberbullying

“…in measuring the potential severity of harmful situations and adversities [7,8]. In the same line, others refer to polyvictimization as a recurrent form of interpersonal victimization, basing this on the theory of cumulative trauma, which emphasizes the linear relationship between the frequency and the severity of the victimization [9].…”

Resilience and Poly-Victimization among Two Cohorts of Norwegian Youth

“…Over the past decade, there has been a rapid development in the various concepts and methodological approaches used to estimate the prevalence of children and adolescents who are victims of violence. Musicaro et al [1] clarify the terminology associated with recurrent interpersonal victimization; the authors expressed how cumulative trauma theory emphasizes the relationship between the frequency and severity of victimization, and they posited a linear association between the number of traumatic event types and the severity of clinical impairment. Two terms have been used to describe children and youth who have been exposed to several types of violence: poly-victimization [2] and multiple victimization [3,4].…”

Poly-victimization in a Norwegian adolescent population: Prevalence, social and psychological profile, and detrimental effects

“…Over the past decade, we have witnessed the development of various concepts and methodological approaches that estimate various risk factors associated with children who are victims of maltreatment and violence. Musicaro et al, [ 8 ] offers a clarification of the terminology on recurrent interpersonal victimization by designating how cumulative trauma theory emphasizes the relationship between the frequency and severity of victimization which posits a linear association between the number of types of traumatic events and the severity of clinical impairment. In the research literature, we find two concepts used to describe children and youth who have been exposed to more than one type of violence: poly-victimization and multiple victimization [ 9 – 14 ].…”