Psychiatry Investig.  2025 May;22(5):564-573. 10.30773/pi.2024.0289.

Sexual Victimization and Psychological and Behavioral Outcomes Among Children and Adolescents in South Korea

• Lee HJ
• Choi J
• Kim JW
• Kim K

• KMID: 2567891
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2024.0289

Abstract

Objective
By focusing on a person-centered approach using latent class analyses (LCA), this study examined the patterns of sexual victimization among children and adolescents in South Korea and compared the psycho-behavioral outcomes of these classes.
Methods
Participants were 546 females aged 6–17, including 117 sexual victimization survivors and 429 non-victims in South Korea. LCA, an analysis of covariance, and Bonferroni post-hoc tests were conducted. Psychological and behavioral outcomes were measured using the Korean version of the Child Behavior Checklist 6–18 and the Youth Self Report. Variables include internalizing (anxious/depressed, withdrawn/depressed, somatic complaints), externalizing (rule-breaking, aggressive behavior), social, thought, and attention problems.
Results
Based on the fit statistics, proportion of each class, and interpretability, a three-class solution was selected as the best fitting model. Profile 1 mainly involved survivors of rape, which first occurred in adolescence through social relations involving alcohol, drugs, or filming. Profile 2 mainly comprised survivors of both rape and physical sexual harassment by close relations, such as family members or relatives, more than once. Profile 3 mainly comprised survivors of sexual harassment by strangers or social relations. Statistically significant differences were suggested in the psych-behavioral outcomes of the profiles compared with the non-victim group.
Conclusion
These findings highlight the importance of examining experiences of sexual violence in a multifaceted manner. This approach may provide more effective interventions for survivors and allow clinicians to gain an in-depth understanding of sexual victimization in children and adolescents while also increasing the understanding of potential psycho-behavioral consequences.

Keyword

Child sexual abuse; Sexual violence; Child development; Child behavior; Latent class analysis