Comparison of Psychopathological Symptoms in Adolescents Who Experienced Sexual Violence as a Victim and/or as a Perpetrator

ABSTRACT

Research on sexual violence victims and perpetrators indicates that victims in general are found to report higher levels of psychopathological symptoms, especially internalizing behavior, whereas perpetrators often show externalizing behavior. Little is known, however, about the psychopathology of perpetrators of sexual violence who have also experienced sexual victimization (victim-perpetrators). Thus, the aim of the current study was to examine this group within a sample of adolescents living in residential care or federal boarding schools. Participants reported their lifetime experience with sexual violence (both as victim and perpetrator) and completed the Youth Self Report. Results indicate that all three groups of adolescents with sexual violence experience report higher total problem scores than adolescents without this experience. Victim-perpetrators show results more similar to those of perpetrators only than those of victims only. The discussion deals with the implications of our findings for the treatment of victims of sexual violence.

KEYWORDS:

• boarding school
• externalizing
• internalizing
• residential care
• sexual abuse
• YSR

Conflict of interest

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to report that might have biased the study.

Human rights and informed consent

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

Funding

The study has been financed by a grant of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with grant number 01SR1201A.

Additional information

Funding

The study has been financed by a grant of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with grant number 01SR1201A.

Notes on contributors

Jeannine Ohlert

Dr. Jeannine Ohlert is a research associate at the research group “Violence, Adolescence, Personality” at the University Hospital Ulm and at the Institute of Psychology of the German Sport University Cologne. Her research interests are mainly in the area of sexual violence but also in supporting the personality development of adolescent athletes in elite sports.

Corinna Seidler

Corinna Seidler is a research associate at the research group “Violence, Adolescence, Personality” at the University Hospital Ulm and currently working on her master’s degree in psychology at the Technical University Darmstadt. Her research interests are mainly in the area of sexual abuse and mental disorder as well as personality traits and motivation of adolescents.

Thea Rau

Dr. Thea Rau is a research associate at the research group “Violence, Adolescence, Personality” at the University Hospital Ulm.

Jörg Fegert

Dr. Jörg Fegert is professor and chair of child and adolescent psychiatry and psychotherapy at the University of Ulm, Germany, and medical director of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Ulm University Hospital. His main research areas are child abuse and neglect and related forensic questions, child psychopharmacology and related basic science, migration, inclusion, social psychiatry and efficacy of psychosocial interventions, patient involvement, and the right to information for children.

Marc Allroggen

Dr. Marc Allroggen is head of the outpatient clinic and the forensic section of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at Ulm University Hospital. He is leader of the research group “Violence, Adolescence, Personality” at the University Hospital Ulm. His main research areas are aggressive behavior, forensic psychiatry, and development of personality disorders.