Victimization profiles in girls involved in the juvenile justice system: A latent class analysis

Previous research has demonstrated that youth involved in the juvenile justice system endorse diverse patterns of victimization. However, previous research investigating victimization profiles among youth involved in the juvenile justice system has primarily consisted of boys.

This study investigated victimization profiles and correlates of victimization exposure, including posttraumatic stress symptoms and risk behaviors, in a sample of girls involved in the juvenile justice system.

Participants were 245 girls involved in the juvenile justice system (Mage = 15.57, SD = 1.13) participating in a dating violence prevention program. The sample was racially diverse, and 48 % self-identified as Hispanic/Latina.

Prior to participating in the intervention, participants completed self-report measures of adversity and victimization exposure, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and risk behaviors.

Results of latent class analysis identified three distinct victimization profiles. The first class (n = 106) was characterized by low levels of victimization. The second class (n = 98) experienced predominantly emotional victimization (i.e., emotional dominant). The third class (n = 41) was characterized by exposure to polyvictimization (i.e., polyvictimization predominant). Girls categorized into the polyvictimization dominant class evidenced the greatest levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms, substance use, suicidal behaviors, and sexual risk behaviors.

Girls involved in the juvenile justice system report distinct patterns of victimization, which are differentially associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms and risk behaviors. The present study underscores the importance of implementing trauma-informed assessment and intervention practices within juvenile justice systems.