The Mediating Role of Trauma Symptoms in Teen Dating Violence Victimization

This research examined whether the frequency of recent physical and sexual teen dating violence (TDV) victimization is associated with re-experiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal trauma symptoms, and whether they, in turn, predict the frequency of future TDV victimization. Participants were 104 (49% female) 14 to 17 year olds, recruited primarily from truancy courts to participate in three assessments, spaced three months apart. Adolescents reported on their trauma symptoms, experiences of physical and sexual dating violence victimization and characteristics of their romantic relationship at every assessment. Results indicated that the frequency of recent TDV victimization is related to re-experiencing, avoidance and hyperarousal trauma symptoms, even after controlling for baseline levels of each trauma symptom. Only re-experiencing symptoms mediated the relation between recent TDV victimization and TDV victimization three months later. Adolescent gender did not moderate this association. The present findings suggest that the trauma symptom clusters may differentially contribute to the risk of future victimization. Further research examining the cognitive and emotional processes involved in re-experiencing may enhance our understanding of risk factors for TDV victimization