Revictimization rates and method variance: a meta-analysis

Abstract

The present meta-analytic review examined revictimization rates and sources of variance among rates provided by 19 empirical studies of adult females. In this review, revictimization refers to the occurrence of at least one incident of childhood sexual abuse followed by a subsequent incident of adult sexual victimization. Studies were included in the review if they provided rates of revictimization and had a comparison sample of nonrevictimized women. The overall effect size for revictimization was .59, a moderate effect, suggesting a definite relationship between childhood victimization and adult victimization experiences. The overall effect size was heterogeneous and various study characteristics and definition issues were examined to determine their effect on revictimization rates. The most striking, although not surprising finding, was that studies in which more inclusive definitions of abuse were utilized yielded smaller effect sizes than studies that used more restrictive definitions of abuse. Studies that examine victimization or revictimization are often concerned with learning more about the phenomenon with the expectation that by understanding the underlying mechanism, prevention and treatment can be better focused. The interpretation given to results from past and future studies should take into account those factors found to influence estimations of revictimization rates.