Background & Aims
Interpersonal victimization experiences (VEs) significantly impact mental and physical health, especially in disorders linked with lifetime adversities, such as fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and major depressive disorder (MDD). However, comprehensively assessing VEs remains a challenge due to the limited tools available that capture sub-traumatic events, like bullying or discrimination, along with their contextual dimensions. Our goal was to bridge this gap by validating the German version of the Victimization Experience Schedule (VES), examining its reliability, and assessing VEs in clinical populations with FMS and MDD.
Methods
We explored the relationship between VEs and clinical symptoms among individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome, major depressive disorder, and healthy controls (N=105) in a case-control study. Additionally, we examined the correlations between various types of VEs and categories of early childhood abuse, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder instruments. Moreover, we validated our findings using an independent sample of individuals with fibromyalgia syndrome (N=106) from a separate clinical study.
Results
We observed excellent inter-rater reliability (Kw=0.90-0.99). VEs, as assessed using the VES, aligned with the subcategories of childhood maltreatment. The prevalence of VEs went beyond what is typically covered by traditional survey instruments. Notably, the prevalence was higher in individuals with major depressive disorder (4.0±2.6) and fibromyalgia syndrome (5.9±3.1) compared to controls (1.5±1.7). A significant association was consistently identified between the number of VEs, the associated subjective distress, and clinical scores. Moreover, distinct patterns of correlation between VEs and clinical outcomes emerged across different cohorts.
Conclusions
Our study highlights the importance of the VES in assessing VEs in the context of fibromyalgia syndrome. These experiences range from traumatic to sub-traumatic and are associated with post-traumatic stress and clinical symptoms, reinforcing the essential role of the VES as an assessment tool.
References
The underlying study is submitted to the Journal of Psychosomatic Research