NCJ Number
107886
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 2 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1987) Pages: 264-277
Date Published
1987
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study assessed three measures of psychological distress at two points of time (1 month and 6 months after a criminal victimization) among a sample of recent victims of physical assault (rape, domestic assault, and nondomestic assault) and a sample of recent victims of nonassaultive crimes (robbery and burglary).
Abstract
A total of 273 crime victims, aged 16 or older, were interviewed. In view of repeated findings of increased fear, anxiety, and stress among rape victims, these indicators of psychological distress were used. For each measure, the mean of a set of associated items, coded on a four-point scale, was used. To compare mean scores on the three measures across the two groups, a two-sample profile analysis was conducted at each of the two interview times. Although differences in distress levels between the groups were evident at the two interview times, the profiles of mean distress scores of the groups were apparently parallel at both times. This suggests that victims of nonassaultive crimes experience the same type of psychological distress as assault victims, but to a lesser degree. 3 tables, 2 figures, and 31 references. (Author abstract modified)