Criminology Commons^™

Rape And Mental Health Outcomes Among Women: Examining The Moderating Effects Of “Healthy” Fear Levels, Ryan E. Spohn, Emily M. Wright, Johanna C. Peterson

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study examined the mediating and moderating impact of fear of victimization on the relationships between forcible and vicarious rape on depression and PTSD among college women. Forcible and vicarious rape positively affected PTSD and depression symptomology, but fear did not mediate these relationships. Fear moderated the impact of forcible rape on PTSD, but was not a moderator for depression. Findings suggest that there may be “healthy” levels of fear in the aftermath of victimization where having too little fear may leave women unnecessarily vulnerable to victimization, while having too much fear may lead to social isolation and withdrawal.

The Association Between Mental Health And Violence Among A Nationally Representative Sample Of College Students From The United States, Joesph A. Schwartz, Kevin M. Beaver, J. C. Barnes

Criminology and Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

Objectives

Recent violent attacks on college campuses in the United States have sparked discussions regarding the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and the perpetration of violence among college students. While previous studies have examined the potential association between mental health problems and violent behavior, the overall pattern of findings flowing from this literature remain mixed and no previous studies have examined such associations among college students.

Methods

The current study makes use of a nationally representative sample of 3,929 college students from the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) to examine the prevalence of seven violent behaviors and …