The landscape of the childhood victimization literature is shifting, with a growing number of researchers emphasizing the importance of designing studies that account for and aim to disentangle the interconnections among victimization experiences. This is a notable contrast to the bulk of the scientific inquiry to date, which has tended to examine victimization experiences in isolation from one another and has created victimization-specific models of risk. On the other hand, the multiple victimization field aims to better understand the overlap among risk factors and the co-occurrence across victimization experiences to create general or non-specific risk models for childhood victimization. From this field emerged the concept of multiple victimization (defined as exposure to more than one type of victimization within a specified time period), that has been established as the unfortunate norm among victimized children. The current dissertation was designed not only to help attain a better understanding of the phenomenon of childhood multiple victimization but also to contribute to our understanding of the frequency, co-occurrence, and risk (grounded in the ecological framework) of childhood multiple victimization. This dissertation addresses important shortcomings of the published literature, such as the scarcity of studies that account for the co-occurrence among victimization experiences, the limited victimization data on school-aged children and clinical samples, and the dearth of studies that test comprehensive risk models of multiple victimization. Caregivers of school-aged children (N = 213) in the Ottawa/Gatineau area participated in the online study, which involved the completion of a 30-minute questionnaire package that assessed their child’s victimization experiences as well as child (e.g., sex, age), family (e.g., caregiver psychosocial functioning, family functioning), and neighbourhood (e.g., safety) factors. Results provided support for the ubiquitous nature of childhood multiple victimization (in the past year and lifetime) as well as for the common co-occurrence of various victimization experiences. Specifically, while a certain overlap was found across all victimization forms, conventional crimes and peer and/or sibling victimization co-occurred most often in this school-aged sample. In addition, victimization forms that may be qualified as “severe” (sexual victimization, Internet victimization, maltreatment) tended to co-occur with many additional forms and were rarely reported on their own. Findings highlighted the important associations between victimization exposure and psychosocial difficulties (anxiety, depression, aggression, and posttraumatic stress), and weighting techniques (i.e., weighting severe victimization forms more heavily) were not found to significantly contribute to better predictability of psychosocial difficulties. Turning to the risk models, a number of correlates of childhood multiple victimization were identified, most notably family variables including family dysfunction, caregiver psychosocial functioning, and substance use problems. However, a number of correlates (particularly socio-demographic factors) were also found to vary according to the victimization experiences assessed, providing partial support for the specificity assumption whereby victimization risk models vary according to the victimization form assessed. The theoretical and applied implications of research findings for efforts aimed at addressing childhood multiple victimization were also discussed.

Syftet med studien var att via en kvantitativ webbenkät i ett bekvämlighetsurval av svenska lärare, undersöka förekomst av elevrelaterat direkt våld och indirekt våld mot lärare samt i vilken utsträckning olika aspekter av skolklimatet som kan förklara lärarens upplevelser av direkt våld och indirekt våld. Urvalet bestod utav 143 svenska grundskolelärare (25 män och 117 kvinnor samt en som ej angav kön) i åldrarna 20-65 (M = 40,44, SD = 11,17). Resultatet visade att åtta av tio lärare hade blivit utsatta för någon typ av elevrelaterat direkt våld vid minst ett tillfälle under det senaste året. Den vanligaste typen av elevrelaterat direkt våld var verbala kränkningar följt av lättare fysiskt våld och hot om våld. Det visade sig också att en stor del av lärarna blivit utsatta för flera typer av elevrelaterat direkt våld under de senaste 12 månaderna, vilket indikerar på en multipel utsatthet. Indirekt våld hade i stort sett samtliga lärare upplevt vid ett flertal tillfällen under det senaste året. Vidare fann studien att kvinnliga lärare uppgav sig vara mer utsatta för både direkt och indirekt våld jämfört med männen. Studien fann även att struktur och engagemang tycks vara de viktigaste dimensionerna av skolklimatet för att förebygga elevrelaterat direkt våld och indirekt våld mot lärare. / The aim of the study was to investigate, through a quantitative web survey in a convenience sample of Swedish teachers, the presence of student-related direct violence and indirect violence against teachers and to what extent different aspects of the school climate that can explain the teacher's experiences of direct violence and indirect violence. The sample consisted of 143 Swedish primary school teachers (25 men and 117 women and one who did not specify the gender) at the ages 20-65 (M = 40.44, SD = 11.17). The result showed that eight out of ten teachers had been exposed to any type of student-related direct violence on at least one occasion in the past year. The most common type of student-related direct violence was verbal abuse followed by easier physical violence and threats of violence. It also turned out that a large number of teachers were exposed to several types of student-related direct violence in the last 12 months, which indicates a multiple victimization. Indirect violence had virtually all teachers experienced on several occasions over the past year. Furthermore, the study found that female teachers stated that they were more victimized by both direct and indirect violence compared to men. The study also found that structure and engagement seem to be the most important dimensions of the school climate to prevent student-related direct violence and indirect violence against teachers.

The goal of the study was to conduct a survey on the extent and nature of poly-victimization of adolescents in Heideveld. This researcher used a quantitative approach, administering an altered form of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire to achieve the goal. This questionnaire had 34 screener items exploring victimization events across a broad range of possible victimization types. Convenience sampling of grade 8-10 learners was used from a school in Heideveld. Ninety-one respondents completed the questionnaire, the age range spread from 13 – 18 years of age. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the results. Responses of respondents to victimization (directed either at themselves or a peer) were explored through open-ended questions. Content analysis was performed to describe the data collected. The results showed that the extent of poly-victimization of adolescents in Heideveld is high. The findings were explored and finally conclusions and recommendations were discussed. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)

The goal of the study was to conduct a survey on the extent and nature of poly-victimization of adolescents in Heideveld. This researcher used a quantitative approach, administering an altered form of the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire to achieve the goal. This questionnaire had 34 screener items exploring victimization events across a broad range of possible victimization types. Convenience sampling of grade 8-10 learners was used from a school in Heideveld. Ninety-one respondents completed the questionnaire, the age range spread from 13 – 18 years of age. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the results. Responses of respondents to victimization (directed either at themselves or a peer) were explored through open-ended questions. Content analysis was performed to describe the data collected. The results showed that the extent of poly-victimization of adolescents in Heideveld is high. The findings were explored and finally conclusions and recommendations were discussed. / Social Work / M. Diac. (Play Therapy)