Victimization and Psychosocial Well-Being Among Finnish Children and Adolescents
Year: 2026
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Many children and adolescents face potentially traumatizing events (PTEs) such as violence, loss, and war during their lifetime, and unfortunately, these experiences seem to accumulate for certain individuals. Experiencing PTEs has an impact on somatic and mental health, although not all victimized children and adolescents develop symptoms. Some children and adolescents are at greater risk for these experiences and their adverse consequences. This dissertation investigates the number and type of PTEs experienced by Finnish children and adolescents in two cross-sectional community datasets (with over 5,600 and over 700 participants respectively) and one clinical cross-sectional dataset (with over 400 participants). The studies shed light on some especially vulnerable minorities among them, including immigrants and child psychiatric patients. This dissertation examined the number, type, and timing of PTEs and their relationship to psychosocial well-being in a community-based sample of adolescents (Study I) and compared these characteristics, as well as willingness to disclose such events, in Finnish adolescents and adolescents with immigrant backgrounds (Study II). Furthermore, differences in the impacts of PTEs on psychosocial functioning in community children and child psychiatric patients were also studied (Study III). The results showed that a greater number of PTEs was linked to worse psychosocial well-being and functioning in both children and adolescents. Bullying and cyberbullying were especially common types of PTE and had detrimental impacts on psychosocial well-being. Adolescents with an immigrant background and child psychiatric patients experienced more PTEs than their community peers. Notably, adolescents with an immigrant background were less likely to disclose PTE experiences in an anonymous questionnaire. Given the high prevalence of PTEs among children and adolescents, further research is needed to better understand their consequences on children’s and adolescents’ lives. There is substantial evidence on PTEs and their consequences in general populations, but less so on specific minorities and especially vulnerable groups, particularly considering the reliability of self-report measures among children and adolescents. This dissertation aims, firstly, to address this gap in the literature. Second, the dissertation aims to inform practitioners and policy makers about the frequency of adverse childhood events and their consequences, especially among minorities. This knowledge can help prevent such events by highlighting vulnerable groups of children and adolescents, as well as supporting the appropriate allocation of resources in child and adolescent mental health care.
Source: Työväentutkimus Vuosikirja
Author: Lahti, Katri
Language: English
Topic: Child Abuse and Trauma
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7219393328