Citation

Christ C, de Jonge M, Bockting CLH, Kikkert MJ, van Schaik DJF, Beekman ATF, Dekker JJM. J. Affect. Disord. 2018; 238: 405-411.

Affiliation

Department of Research, Arkin Mental Health Care, Klaprozenweg 111, Amsterdam 1033 NN, The Netherlands; Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Clinical Psychology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2018.06.019

PMID

29909304

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Depressed patients are at increased risk to fall victim to a violent crime compared to the general population. It remains unknown whether their increased risk persists after remission. This study compared victimization rates of remitted patients with both a random general population sample and a group of currently depressed patients. Furthermore, this study aimed to identify predictors of future violent victimization.

METHODS: In this longitudinal study conducted in the Netherlands, 12-month prevalence rates of sexual assaults, physical assaults, and threats were assessed with the Safety Monitor in 140 currently remitted patients with recurrent depression, and compared to those of a weighted general population sample (N = 9.175) and a weighted sample of currently depressed outpatients (N = 102) using Chi-square tests. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify baseline predictors of future victimization.

RESULTS: The prevalence of violent victimization did not differ between remitted patients and the general population (12.1 vs. 11.7%). Remitted patients were significantly less likely to have been victimized over the past 12 months than currently depressed patients (12.1 vs. 35.5%). In remitted patients, living alone and low sense of mastery at baseline predicted future violent victimization. However, when combined in a multiple model, only living alone was independently associated with violent victimization (χ² = 16.725, df = 2, p < .001, R² = 0.221). LIMITATIONS: Our comparison of victimization rates across samples was cross-sectional.

CONCLUSIONS: Since the increased risk of victimization appears to be specific for the acute depressive state, preventive interventions should target victimization in currently depressed patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Netherlands Trial Register (NTR): 2599.

Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Language: en

Keywords

Assault; Depression; Remission; Sense of mastery; Victimization; Violence