This study assessed secondary victimization in adult children of Portuguese Colonial War Veterans and its relationship with other psychological variables. The sample included 80 adult children. The instruments used were: Childhood Experiences Questionnaire, Post-Traumatic Stress Scale, Life Style Questionnaire and the Portuguese versions of the Brief Symptoms Checklist and the Health Symptoms Checklist. The results showed that 27.5% of the adult children had a secondary victimization diagnosis (SVD) and 66% presented Secondary Traumatic Symptoms (STS). The latter was positively associated with psychopathology and to negative family experiences in childhood. In addition, adult children with STS manifested more physical symptoms and less healthy behaviors. The results emphasize the need for intervention in such population.
Secondary Victimization; Children; Veterans; War
