Positive Caregiving Styles Attenuating Effects of Cumulative Trauma Among Youth Who Commit Sexual Crimes

Among youth who commit sexual crimes, childhood trauma experiences have been linked to a host of outcomes including trauma symptom expression. Furthermore, research has begun assessing differential rates of cumulative adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) between youth who commit sexual and non-sexual crimes. Yet, few studies have comparatively examined rates of cumulative traumatic events using more robust measures of adversity. There is scant research on outcomes associated cumulative trauma among youth who commit sexual crimes including linkages to trauma symptoms and how positive parenting styles (PCSs) can attenuate in this relationship. This study aims to compare cumulative trauma experiences between youth who commit sexual ( n = 112) and non-sexual crimes ( n = 224). Among youth who commit sexual crimes, we test how PCSs mitigate or moderate the effects of cumulative trauma on trauma symptoms. Results from independent samples t-tests revealed significant group differences on singular and cumulative traumatic experiences, and trauma symptomatology, where youth who commit sexual crimes had higher rates of all. Stepwise linear regressions revealed mitigating effects of maternal PCSs and tests of moderation revealed main and interaction effects, where intermediate positive maternal caregiving styles for youth with higher cumulative trauma were associated with greater trauma symptomatology. Implications and limitations are discussed.

Construct Validation of the Trauma Symptom Checklist–40 Total and Subscale Scores

The Trauma Symptom Checklist–40 (TSC-40) is commonly used in clinical research to index history of childhood maltreatment and assess complex trauma symptomatology in adults. Yet the dimensional structure of this measure has not been examined. We examined the factor structure of the TSC-40 in a sample of 706 undergraduate students, measurement invariance of the TSC-40 across groups with or without a history of abuse-related and multiple trauma, and the association between the TSC-40 and other trauma indices. A higher order model of complex trauma symptomatology was optimal. The higher order model also demonstrated strong measurement invariance across participants with or without abuse-related and multiple trauma histories. The current findings support the dimensional structure of the TSC-40, as well as extending and revising its subscale composition. This study provided support for using the TSC-40 to measure trauma symptoms across groups exposed to different and multiple types of trauma and provided further evidence for the construct of complex trauma symptomatology.

Effects of Childhood Polyvictimization on Victimization in Juvenile Correctional Facilities: The Mediating Role of Trauma Symptomatology

Polyvictimization refers to multiple forms of victimization experienced by youths. The extent to which aggregated or cumulative early life victimization increases risk of victimization within juvenile correctional facilities is unclear. Furthermore, pathways from early polyvictimization to facility victimization may be partly explained by trauma symptomatology. Drawing upon the extant polyvictimization literature, this study explores both composite and cumulative effects of childhood victimization on later victimization within correctional facilities and the mediating role of trauma symptomatology among a nationally representative sample of incarcerated youth. Data were drawn from the Survey of Youth in Residential Placement. Incarcerated youths ( N = 7,073) were surveyed on constructs including early victimization, trauma symptomatology, and experiences of victimization within correctional facilities. Using appropriate weights in analyses, structural equation models revealed the relationship between amassed early polyvictimization and composite facility victimization was partially explained by trauma symptoms; facility victimization also linked to trauma symptoms. Additional models revealed that as youths report more victimization experiences, there was a successive increased likelihood for trauma symptoms, facility robbery, and facility physical victimization. The relationships between cumulative early victimization and facility robbery, physical, and sexual victimization were partially or fully mediated by trauma symptoms. Research and practice implications are discussed.