The prevalence of traditional bullying victimization has been estimated at around 36%, while that of cyberbullying has been estimated at 15%. The victimization of bullying brings with it harm to mental health that must be compensated for, after a forensic evaluation, by the aggressor or legal guardian. Thus, a meta-analytic review was undertaken with the aim of knowing the effect of bullying victimization on psychological harm, as well as quantifying the magnitude of the harm and estimating the probability that no harm associated with bullying victimization is generated. Method: A random-effects correlational meta-analysis correcting effect size by sampling error and criterion and predictor unreliability was performed. Results: The results exhibited a positive (i.e., more victimization and more psychological harm) and significant mean true effect size, implying an average psychological harm associated to bullying victimization of 29.7%. Nevertheless, 26.7% of students victimized by bullying did not develop psychological harm. Conclusions: Bullying victimization causes psychological harm, with an average increase in psychological harm associated with bullying victimization of 29.7%.

Background/aim: Sexual harassment has become a serious social and public health problem in adolescents, causing adverse effects on mental health. Nevertheless, some behaviours arise that, due to their characteristics, might be misinterpreted as sexual harassment. A field study using a survey with non-probabilistic accidental sampling was designed in order to estimate the prevalence of sexual harassment victimization in the Spanish adolescent population as well as to quantify the harms. Method: A total of 1028 Spanish adolescents, 54.3% females and 45.7% males aged 13–17 years (M = 15.21, SD = 1.03), responded to a diagnostic measure of sexual harassment victimization and an inventory measure of internalizing and externalizing mental health problems (MHPs). Results: The results showed a significant prevalence of diagnosed sexual harassment victimization of school-aged adolescents, 24.1%, 95% CI [0.215, 0.267], with adverse effects on internalizing and externalizing MHPs. As for the internalizing MHPs, the results exhibited moderate adverse effects on depression, anxiety, somatic burns, posttraumatic symptoms, and obsessive–compulsive symptoms, as well as mild adverse effects on social anxiety. Regarding externalizing MHPs, the results revealed moderate adverse effects on hyperactivity–impulsivity, anger control, and antisocial behaviour, as well as mild adverse effects on attention problems, aggression, and defiant behaviour. In addition, it was confirmed that sexual harassment victimization affects adolescent females to a greater extent, with the effect being significantly greater in internalizing than in externalizing MHPs. Conclusions: The results obtained are discussed and future lines of research and intervention are proposed to promote the implementation of prevention and intervention programs that address this phenomenon and, in turn, improve the physical, psychological, and social well-being of adolescents.

Revista Iberoamericana de Psicología y Salud

Antecedentes/objetivo: Legalmente se ha proporcionado a los juzgados, como herramienta para evitar la revictimización en casos de violencia de género, la adopción de medidas de protección y asistenciales a víctimas. Sin embargo, los estudios acerca de su eficacia son inconcluyentes, encontrándose efectos no significativos o de tamaño pequeño. Ahora bien, los efectos sobre los daños psicológicos (victimización) no han sido igualmente estudiados. Se diseñó un estudio de campo para conocer los efectos de estas medidas judiciales, así como de la propia denuncia judicial en el bienestar psicológico de las víctimas. Método: Participaron 136 mujeres residentes en Ecuador, que habían concluido un proceso judicial por violencia de género y que respondieron a un listado sobre la aplicación de 17 medidas de protección y asistenciales recogidas en el ordenamiento jurídico ecuatoriano. Además, se les administró el SCL 90-R para conocer el bienestar psicológico en dos condiciones temporales: medida pre- y post-proceso judicial. Resultados: Los resultados advirtieron que sólo 6 de las 9 medidas de protección se aplicaron de forma productiva, en tanto que las medidas asistenciales sólo se implementaron de modo trivial (insignificante). Sobre los efectos en el bienestar, los resultados revelaron un efecto significativo para el proceso judicial (denuncia), pero no así para la implementación de medidas de protección, asistenciales, ni para la interacción entre el proceso judicial y la implementación de medidas de protección y asistenciales. Los efectos del factor proceso judicial fueron positivos (mejoría), significativos y de una magnitud grande (d ≥ 0.80) en somatización, obsesivo-compulsivo, sensibilidad interpersonal, depresión, ansiedad generalizada, ansiedad fóbica e ideación paranoide; y con un tamaño del efecto entre moderado y grande (0.50 ≤ d < 0.80) en las dimensiones hostilidad y psicoticismo. Conclusiones: Se discuten las implicaciones de la falta de efecto de la implementación de medidas de protección y asistenciales en el bienestar psicológico, así como los efectos positivos del proceso judicial (denuncia, confrontación con el maltratador) en el bienestar de las denunciantes-víctimas.

Background/aim: Sexual harassment has become a serious social and public health problem in adolescence, causing adverse effects on mental health. Nevertheless, some behaviours arise that, due to their characteristics, might be misinterpreted as sexual harassment. A field study, a survey with a non-probabilistic accidental sampling, was designed in order to estimate the prevalence of sexual harassment victimization in the Spanish adolescent population, as well as to quantify the harms. Method: 1028 Spanish adolescents, 54.3% females and 45.7% males, aged 13-17 years (M = 15.21, SD = 1.03), responded to a diagnostic measure of sexual harassment victimization and an inventory measure of internalizing and externalizing Mental Health Problems (MHPs). Results: The results showed a significant prevalence of diagnosed sexual harassment victimization of school-aged adolescents, 24.1%, 95% [.215, 267], with adverse effects on internalizing and externalizing MHPs. As for the internalizing MHPs, the results showed moderate adverse effects on depression, anxiety, somatic burns, posttraumatic symptoms, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms; and mild adverse effects on social anxiety. With regard to externalizing MHPs, the results revealed moderate adverse effects on hyperactivity-impulsivity, anger control and antisocial behaviour; and mild adverse effects on attention problems, aggression and defiant behaviour. In addition, it was corroborated that sexual harassment victimization affects adolescent females to a greater extent, with the effect being significantly greater in internalizing than in externalizing MHPs. Conclusions: The results obtained are discussed and future lines of research and intervention are proposed to promote the implementation of prevention and intervention programs that address this phenomenon and, in turn, improve the physical, psychological, and social well-being of adolescents.

Background/Objective: The implantation of misleading information in memory is a highly relevant topic due to its implications for the evaluation of witness memory. Suggestion has been the most studied means of implantation. Therefore, a meta-analytical study was designed to estimate the effect size of suggestion in the implantation of misleading information in testimonies and memories, and the moderators of such effect. Method: A total of 17 studies designed to evaluate the implantation of suggested memories or the mere acceptance of misleading information were selected. Bare-bones meta-analyses of experiments were performed. Results: The results showed a significantly positive, generalizable across studies, and more than large overall mean effect size (d = 1.68 95% CI [1.47, 1.89]) for the implantation of misleading information due to suggestion. When converted to probabilities, the estimated likelihood of implanting any externally suggested information was 31.3%. Likewise, the results evidenced a significant, positive, generalizable among studies, and more than large average effect size for the moderators: degree of suggestion (d = 1.60, 95% CI [1.47, 1.89]), likelihood of suggestion (d = 1.68, 95% CI [1.48, 1.88]), direct participation in the event (d = 1.31, 95%CI [1.13, 1.49]), indirect participation in the event (d = 2.00, 95% CI [1.77, 2.23]), suggestion through the individual differences paradigm (d = 1.44, 95% CI [1.23, 1.65]), and suggestion through the misinformation paradigm (d = 2.03, 95% CI[1.82, 2.24]). Conclusions: The implications of the results for the evaluation of the reliability of child testimony are discussed. Antecedentes/objetivo: La implantación de información engañosa en la memoria es un tópico de gran relevancia dadas las implicaciones que tiene para la evaluación de la memoria de los testigos. La sugestión ha sido el medio de implantación más estudiado. Por ello, se ha diseñado un estudio meta-analítico para estimar el tamaño del efecto de la sugestión en la implantación de información engañosa en el testimonio y las memorias, y los moderadores de tal efecto. Método: Se seleccionaron un total de 17 estudios diseñados para la evaluación de la implantación de memorias sugestionadas o la mera aceptación de información capciosa. Se ejecutaron meta-análisis de experimentos bare-bones. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron un tamaño del efecto promedio global (d = 1.68, IC 95% [1.47, 1.89]) significativo, positivo, generalizable entre los estudios y de una magnitud más que grande para la implantación de información engañosa debida a la sugestión. Convertido el efecto en probabilidades, la probabilidad estimada de implantación de cualquier información externa sugestionada fue del 31.3%. Asimismo, los resultados evidenciaron un tamaño del efecto promedio significativo, positivo, generalizable y más que grande para los moderadores grado de sugestión (d = 1.60, IC 95% [1.10, 2.10]), probabilidad de sugestión (d = 1.68, IC 95% [1.48, 1.88]), participación directa en el evento (d = 1.31, IC 95% [1.13, 1.49]), participación indirecta en el evento (d = 2.00, IC 95% [1.77, 2.23]), sugestión mediante el paradigma de diferencias individuales (d = 1.44, IC 95% [1.23, 1.65]) y sugestión mediante el paradigma de desinformación (d = 2.03, IC 95% [1.82, 2.24]). Conclusiones: Se discuten las implicaciones de los resultados para la evaluación de la fiabilidad del testimonio infantil.