Direct and indirectvictimization and post-traumatic stress symptoms in university students in Northeastern Mexico

Abstract

In recent years, violence has been exacerbated in several northeastern states of México, with implications for the mental health of young people, as is the development of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study aims to identify the types of victimization (direct or indirect) experienced by university students, determine the symptoms of post-trau-matic stress they present and see the relationship between the types of victimization and PTSD symptoms. The Victimization Scale and the Short Scale of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder were applied to 500 young people of Tamaulipas. The university students report on average 7 direct and indirect victimization events, the indirect being more frequent. Although there is a relationship between direct and indirect victimization, with the presence of PTSD symptoms, only indirect victimization is a predictive variable of PTSD symptoms in university students. It is proposed that, together with policies of crime prevention and reduction, policies of the reduction of fear of crimes should be created.