Unveiling the Nexus: Vulnerability to Psychological Distress and Childhood Violence among Adolescents in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Exposure to multiple forms of violence increases the risk of developing psychiatric illnesses such as depression, PTSD, and other mental health problems. Despite this, studies investigating the relationship between psychological distress and childhood violence exposure are limited. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of childhood violence across psychological distress and examined the association between vulnerability to psychological distress and experiencing childhood violence among Zimbabwean adolescents. Utilizing data from the 2017 Zimbabwe Violence Against Children Survey (ZVACS), a representative household survey of adolescents aged 13 to 19 (n=5344), we employed chisquare tests to determine the prevalence estimates across independent and dependent variables. Additionally, four sets of logistic regression models (both unadjusted and adjusted) were performed to predict significant associations between independent and dependent variables. Prevalence results indicated that among adolescents experiencing moderate-to-severe psychological distress, 35.3% had experienced childhood physical violence, 27.2% emotional violence, 15% sexual violence, and 51.2% had been exposed to multiple forms of violence. Similarly, regression results indicated that adolescents with moderate-to-severe psychological distress had higher odds of experiencing childhood physical violence (aOR=2.13), emotional violence (aOR=3.69), sexual violence (aOR=1.93), and multiple forms of violence (aOR=2.59) compared to their counterparts without psychological distress in the past 30 days. These findings underscore the need for interventions that prioritize education and increased access to mental health treatment programs. Moreover, addressing evolving cultural norms and enforcing existing legislation to curb violence are crucial steps to mitigate the risk of further victimization in Zimbabwe. Keywords: Psychological distress, emotional violence, sexual violence, physical violence, childhood, adolescence, Zimbabwe.