The complexity of adaptation to childhood polyvictimization in youth and young adults: Recommendations for multidisciplinary responders
Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Trauma, Violence, & Abuse
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.
Description
item.page.type
Article
item.page.format
Keywords
child abuse, poly-victimization, youth violence, prostitution/sex work, violence exposure, Multi-Disciplinary Team response, community violence
Citation
Musicaro, R. M., Spinazzola, J., Arvidson, J., Swaroop, S. R., Goldblatt Grace, L., Yarrow, A., ... & Ford, J. D. (2019). The complexity of adaptation to childhood polyvictimization in youth and young adults: Recommendations for multidisciplinary responders. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 20(1), 81-98.