The Emotional Problems And Related Factors Among Poly-victimized College Freshmen

ObjectiveTo know the prevalence of poly-victimization and to explore the emotional problems of poly-victimed college freshmen and its related factors, in order to provide theoretical evidence for maintaining college students'psychological health.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, cluster sampling was used and 1802 freshmen in a college in Jinan City were recruited. Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (Basic Screen Questions Child Self-Report Version) was used to screen the poly-victims. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian Version, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale and Self-rating Depression Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire and Social Supporting Rating Scale were used to examine the emotional problems and its related factors of freshmen with poly-victimization. The study followed the principle of informed consent, and the questionnaires were distributed in the unit of class. The freshmen were asked to finished all the questionnaires in the classroom. Statistical data were collected and analyzed by SPSS 16.0. Statistics method included description analysis, x 2 test,t test, and ANOVA, etc.Results1. The prevalence of poly-victimization among college freshmen69.09% freshmen had at least one kind of victimization.210 (11.65%) freshmen had poly-victimization and were recruited in poly-victim group. The percentage of low and high poly-victimization were 9.71% and 1.94%, respectively. More than half of the freshmen have had witnessing violence experience and one third had conventional victimization. The prevalence of peer victimization, child abuse and sexual victimization were 17.37%,15.59% and 7.88%, respectively. There are significant differences between males and females on conventional victimization, sexual victimization and witnessing violence. Males are more vulnerable to conventional victimization and witnessing violence, while females are more vulnerable to be sexual victimed than males (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Demographic information in poly-victim group, non-poly-victim group and non-victim group were compared. Significant differences were found in house moving, housing condition, father's job, smoking and harmonious neighborhood (all P<0.01).2. The emotional problems of poly-victimed college freshmenThe total score and sub-scale score of PCL-C of poly-victim group were higher than that of non-poly-victim group and non-victim group. Post hoc test found that the total scores of PCL-C were different among these 3 groups (P<0.01). The proportion of freshmen with anxiety or depression in poly-victim group were higher than the other two groups (P<0.01).3. The relationship between emotional problems and resilience, coping style and social supporting in poly-victim groupIn poly-victim group, the scores of RS of posttraumatic stress disorder positive (PTSD positive) subgroup, anxiety subgroup and depression subgroup were higher than the PTSD negative subgroup, anxiety control subgroup and depression control subgroup, respectively. And the differences were significant (P<0.01). The total score of PCL-C, SDS index and SAS standard score were significant negatively correlated with the total score of RS, which suggests that resilience is a protective factor for the college freshmen to maintain psychological health.In poly-victim group, the scores of subjective social supporting and usage of social supporting of PTSD positive subgroup, anxiety subgroup and depression subgroup were higher than the PTSD negative subgroup, anxiety control subgroup and depression control subgroup, respectively. And the difference was significant (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The total score of PCL-C, SDS index and SAS standard score were significant negatively correlated with the total score of social supporting, which suggests that effective social supporting is a protective factor for college freshmen to maintain psychological health.In poly-victim group, the scores of positive coping style of PTSD positive subgroup, anxiety subgroup and depression subgroup were higher than the PTSD negative subgroup, anxiety control subgroup and depression control subgroup, respectively, while the scores of negative coping style were lower, and the differences were significant (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The total score of PCL-C, SDS index and SAS standard score were significant positively correlated with the total score of negative coping style, which were significant negatively correlated with the score of positive coping. It suggests that positive coping style is a protective factor for the college freshmen to maintain psychological health.Conclusions1.69.09% freshmen have at least one kind of victimization, and 11.65% have suffered from poly-victimization. The proportion of poly-victimed college freshmen was high.2. The level of PTSD symptom, anxiety and depression of poly-victimed college freshmen were higher than that of freshmen with non-poly-victimization or non-victimization.3. The emotional problems of the college freshmen with poly-victimization were correlated with resilience, social supporting, coping style. The higher scores on RS, social supporting and positive coping style were, the lower level of posttraumatic stress disorder symptom, anxiety and depression were.