The juvenile victimization questionnaire: Psychometric properties and poly-victimization among Portuguese youth

Background: There is a growing body of literature about poly-victimization among children and adolescents. The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire (JVQ) is the most used measure to assess poly-victimization; however, it was not validated in Portugal, and it is unknown how it compares to other countries. Objectives: Analyze the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the JVQ, access the poly-victimization prevalence, and compare differences among age and gender. Participants and Setting. The sample was composed of 849 Portuguese adolescents between 12 and 17 years old (M = 13.70, SD = 1.43). Methods: Participants completed a socio-demographic questionnaire and the JVQ. Results: The JVQ showed a good model fit (χ² (5 6 1) = 8493.76, p < .001, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.98, RMSEA = 0.02 CI90% [0.016; 0.024]) and good psychometric properties. There are significant differences in poly-victimization between younger and older age groups. The prevalence of certain types of victimization differed between gender and age. Girls had a higher probability of psychological or emotional abuse and boys had a higher probability of assault and burglary of the family household. The age group 12–14 years old had a higher probability of assault without weapon whereas the age group of 15–17 years displayed a higher probability of being a victim of child maltreatment, dating violence, sexual victimization, and witness to assault. Conclusions: The findings emphasize that JVQ is a good instrument to identify poly-victimization and several types of victimization, which can foster the development of adequate psychosocial intervention programs to reduce victimization.