Childhood Victimization and Physical Health Symptoms Among First-Year College Students

This study examined the association of childhood victimization with physical health symptoms among first-year college students. Participants (N = 655) from three U.S. universities completed an online survey in fall 2012 that assessed multiple forms of childhood victimization and current physical and mental health. In bivariate models, all forms of childhood victimization were significantly associated with physical health except physical peer victimization. Multivariate regression models indicated that childhood sexual assault (β = .09, p < .05) and verbal peer victimization (β = .12, p < .01) were positively associated with current physical health symptoms even after controlling for other forms of childhood victimization and current mental health. Findings bolster the need for campus health centers to screen for childhood victimization, particularly sexual assault and verbal peer victimization, when providing both physical and mental health services to students.