The influence of control factors on victimization trajectories in children and adolescents

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of control factors on the process of victimization over time based on the phenomenon of multiple victimization and repeat victimization of children and adolescents. This study hypothesizes that the types of victimization based on the category of poly-victimization can vary by the developmental stage of children and adolescents; the types of victimization based on the category of poly-victimization can exist in various groups over time; parental supervision, parental bonds, peer bonds, and self-control can affect victimization and victimization trajectories. The hypotheses were tested using data from the Korean Children & Youth Panel Survey(KCYPS), focusing on the period from the sixth grade of elementary school to the second grade of middle school. Frequency analysis, growth model analysis, latent class model analysis, and growth mixture model analysis were conducted to test hypotheses. The results show that the types of victimization are decreasing over time; victimization trajectories can be classified as risk group and general group; the most influential control factor on victimization trajectories is self-control. The findings suggest that the elementary school period is the most vulnerable period based on the types of victimization; there is a group that is vulnerable to victimization during the developmental stage of children and adolescents; victimization trajectories are better explained by the heterogeneity perspective than the event-dependence perspective; one of the risk factors for victimization is low self-control.