The Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties and Poly-victimization Among Portuguese Youth

Abstract 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 (561) = 8493.76, p 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.