Trajectories of violent victimization over the life course: Implications for mental and physical health

Violent victimization experiences correspond to an array of negative consequences including poorer mental and physical health. Drawing on life course theories of stress proliferation and well-being, we use four waves of data from the Add Health study to identify pathways of violent victimization from adolescence through young adulthood using group-based trajectory modeling. We then assess the influence of victimization trajectory membership on a range of subsequent health outcomes including depression, PTSD, clinical and subclinical symptoms, and self-rated health. Our results show those with increasing experiences of victimization in young adulthood are at greatest risk for poor health outcomes. Notably, trajectories marked by violent victimization limited in adolescence are not associated with any indicators of poor health. Black individuals and males are at particular risk for membership in victimization trajectories with the greatest risk for future negative health outcomes. Our findings demonstrate that violent victimization occurs via heterogeneous patterns over the life course with significant consequences for well-being and broader health disparities among adults.