Factor structure of the adolescent coping orientation for problem experiences in Spanish adolescents.

The present study aimed to identify the best structure of the Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences when applied to Spanish adolescents. A confirmatory factor analysis of five previous factor structures was conducted. As the data did not fit previous factor models, two exploratory factor analyses (first- and second-order) were carried out to identify the structure for Spanish adolescents and to analyse its criterion validity in relation to mental health, which was assessed by means of the Youth Self-Report. A first-wave sample of 1,152 secondary education pupils (645 boys, 56%; 507 girls, 44%; M age = 14.4 yr., SD = 1.4) was involved in the confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses. A second-wave sample of = 374 secondary education pupils (188 boys, 50.5%; 186 girls, 49.5%; M age = 15.4 yr., SD = 1.1) was used to assess criterion validity. The results yielded eight first-order factors with Cronbach's alpha ranging from .63 to .79, and two second-order factors that replicated the Approach and Avoidance focus of coping. The paper discusses both the content of the extracted factors and mental health issues.

Impact of poly-victimization on mental health: the mediator and/or moderator role of self-esteem.

The current study examines the relationship between the total kinds of victimization (TKV) experienced, self-esteem, and internalizing symptoms (IS) and externalizing symptoms (ES). It also explores the mediator and/or moderator role of two self-esteem facets: self-liking (SL) and self-competence (SC). The sample comprised 736 adolescents recruited from eight secondary schools in Catalonia, Spain. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Youth Self Report, and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire were used to assess self-esteem facets (SL and SC), psychological distress (IS and ES), and the TKV suffered. This article has several innovative features. On one hand, it considers that self-esteem is comprised of two different but related factors: SL and SC. On the other hand, it is the first study to provide evidence for the mediator/moderator role of SL and SC between victimization and psychological symptoms, taking account of the TKV experienced. Results suggest that SL is more relevant to mental health than SC. A low sense of being a worthy social being (SL) is more closely related to both victimization and poor mental health than a low sense of personal efficacy (SC). Moreover, SL seems to partially mediate the relationship between TKV and both IS and ES, whereas SC only acts as a partial mediator for the TKV-IS relationship in girls. At the same time, SL acts as a partial moderator of the TKV-IS relationship in boys. These findings support the importance of self-esteem in buffering the impact of victimization on mental health and may indicate that proper prevention and treatment policies should focus on adolescents' sense of being a good person, according to their own criteria of worth.

Effects of poly-victimization on self-esteem and post-traumatic stress symptoms in Spanish adolescents.

This study aims to provide evidence concerning the effects of experiencing multiple forms of victimization (poly-victimization) on self-esteem and post-traumatic stress symptoms in Spanish adolescents. A total of 722 adolescents were recruited from seven secondary schools in Catalonia, Spain. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Youth Self Report and the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire were employed to assess self-esteem, post-traumatic stress symptoms and victimization, respectively. Participants were divided into three groups (non-victim, victim and poly-victim groups) according to the total number of different kinds of victimization experienced. Results showed that 88.4 % of adolescents had been exposed to at least one kind of victimization. Poly-victimization was associated with a higher number of post-traumatic stress symptoms in both boys and girls. Also, self-liking was significantly lower in the poly-victim group, whereas self-competence was equivalent across the three victimization groups. Girls were approximately twice as likely to report child maltreatment (OR = 1.92) and sexual victimization (OR = 2.41) as boys. In conclusion, the present study adds evidence on the importance of taking account of the full burden of victimizations suffered when studying victimization correlates. Also, it highlights the importance of prevention policies to focus particularly on preserving adolescents' sense of social worth.