Online sexual harassment and depression in Chilean adolescents: Variations based on gender and age of the offenders.
Depression
Offenders
Online sexual abuse
Poly-victimization
Sexual harassment
Journal
Child abuse & neglect
ISSN: 1873-7757
Titre abrégé: Child Abuse Negl
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7801702
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
10 2021
10 2021
Historique:
received:
26
01
2021
revised:
10
06
2021
accepted:
16
07
2021
pubmed:
28
7
2021
medline:
19
3
2022
entrez:
27
7
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Online sexual harassment in adolescence is associated with depressive symptoms. There is, however, a dearth of research investigating variability of symptom profiles in this population in relation to offender gender and age. To identify the proportion of adolescents reporting online harassment by different types of offenders and compare their levels of depression. Participants were 18,872 Chilean students aged 12 to 17 years (3.063 of them online sexually harassed). The study involved a secondary analysis of self-report data on online sexual harassment, poly-victimization, and depression collected as part of the National Poly-victimization Survey. In 37.6% of the cases the offender was male under 18, in 22.4% an adult male, in 14.5% a female under 18, and in 2.9% an adult female. In 22.5% of cases the offender could not be identified. An ANCOVA demonstrated levels of poly-victimization across the lifespan and frequency of online sexual harassment in the last year to predict depressive symptomatology. In females, higher levels of depressive symptoms were observed among those sexually harassed by either a female under 18, an offender whose age and gender the victim could not identify, or an adult male. In males, higher levels of depression were observed among those harassed by either an adult male, an offender whose age and gender the victim could not identify, or a male under 18. The current study highlights the importance of offender's age and gender in predicting depression levels in adolescent victims of online sexual harassment.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Online sexual harassment in adolescence is associated with depressive symptoms. There is, however, a dearth of research investigating variability of symptom profiles in this population in relation to offender gender and age.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the proportion of adolescents reporting online harassment by different types of offenders and compare their levels of depression.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
Participants were 18,872 Chilean students aged 12 to 17 years (3.063 of them online sexually harassed).
METHODS
The study involved a secondary analysis of self-report data on online sexual harassment, poly-victimization, and depression collected as part of the National Poly-victimization Survey.
RESULTS
In 37.6% of the cases the offender was male under 18, in 22.4% an adult male, in 14.5% a female under 18, and in 2.9% an adult female. In 22.5% of cases the offender could not be identified. An ANCOVA demonstrated levels of poly-victimization across the lifespan and frequency of online sexual harassment in the last year to predict depressive symptomatology. In females, higher levels of depressive symptoms were observed among those sexually harassed by either a female under 18, an offender whose age and gender the victim could not identify, or an adult male. In males, higher levels of depression were observed among those harassed by either an adult male, an offender whose age and gender the victim could not identify, or a male under 18.
CONCLUSIONS
The current study highlights the importance of offender's age and gender in predicting depression levels in adolescent victims of online sexual harassment.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34315004
pii: S0145-2134(21)00292-1
doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2021.105219
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
105219Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.