Childhood Poly-Victimization and Impulsivity in Iranian Adults: A Regression Analysis of Behavioral Problems

Background: It's clear that the lasting impact of childhood events on mental health, specifically focusing on the concept of "polyvictimization" as a condition rather than isolated events. This is a key area of research, and understanding the incidence and effects of polyvictimization is crucial for developing effective interventions and support systems. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the incidence of polyvictimization in Iran and to compare its occurrence among different socioeconomic status (SES) groups and various sexual orientations within the subtypes of polyvictimization. Additionally, using the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, we investigate the prediction of impulsivity based on victimization.Methods: The study was conducted during the summer of 2023 and involved 573 adult participants aged 18 to 45 years. A demographic questionnaire, the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ) developed by Finkelhor and colleagues (2011), and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS-11) were administered online. Participants were recruited through non-randomized sampling via social media platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Data were collected by researchers, and descriptive statistics, ANOVA, post-hoc, and regression analysis were conducted using SPSS 26 and AMOS 26.Results: Out of the 573 participants (72.8% female; total mean age: 24.04; female mean age: 23.89; male mean age: 24.46), the average childhood victimization score was 11.95. Notably, 80.6% of participants were classified as high polyvictims (having experienced 7 or more types of victimization). Those with lower SES reported higher levels of victimization, and transgender individuals experienced higher victimization rates compared to other sexual orientation groups. To predict impulsivity based on victimization, the results of the regression analysis indicated that victimization significantly predicts cognitive impulsivity, motor impulsivity.Conclusion: The rates of victimization in Iran exceed those in many other countries, including low-income nations. Considering the significant impact of victimization on mental health, further research is necessary to identify the root causes and potential interventions to alleviate the consequences of trauma.Keywords: Impulsivity, Incidence, Polyvictimization.