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Life Course Associations Between Victimization and Aggression: Distinct and Cumulative Contributions

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Abstract

The connections between early maltreatment and later aggression are well established in the literature, however gaps remain in our understanding of developmental processes. This study investigates the cascading life course linkages between victimization experiences from childhood through early adulthood and later aggressive behavior. The diverse, at-risk sample is of particular importance to child and adolescent specialists, as it represents highly vulnerable youth accessible through conventional school settings. In addition to direct pathways from proximal life periods, path analysis revealed significant indirect mediated pathways through which earlier life victimization contributes to aggressive behaviors in later life periods as well as revictimization. Multivariate regressions support theorized cumulative effects of multi-form victimization as well as distinct contributions of victimization domains (emotional, witnessing, physical, property, and sexual) in explaining aggressive behavior. Consistent with theorizing about the developmental impact of early maltreatment, results bolster the importance of interrupting pathways from victimization to revictimization and later aggression. Findings are evaluated in light of implications for early identification and prevention programming.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by grants from NINR Grant # R01 NR03550 “Suicide Risk From Adolescence to Young Adulthood,” NCRR Grant TL1 RR 025016, and the National Institute on Mental Health Grant 5 T32 MH20010 “Mental Health Prevention Research Training Program”.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University at Buffalo, 685 Baldy Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14228, USA

    Patricia Logan-Greene

  2. School of Social Work, University of Washington, Campus Box: 354900, Seattle, WA, 98105-6299, USA

    Paula S. Nurius

  3. Psychosocial and Community Health, University of Washington, Box 358732, Seattle, WA, 98195-8732, USA

    Carole Hooven & Elaine Adams Thompson

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  1. Patricia Logan-Greene
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Correspondence to Patricia Logan-Greene.

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Logan-Greene, P., Nurius, P.S., Hooven, C. et al. Life Course Associations Between Victimization and Aggression: Distinct and Cumulative Contributions. Child Adolesc Soc Work J 32, 269–279 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-014-0358-0

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