Previous studies have supported the application of a posttraumatic stress framework for understanding the responses of children who have witnessed domestic violence. The current study aimed to assess the incidence of posttrauma symptoms in a sample of children exposed to domestic violence, using the established criteria specified in the DSM-IV as a template. The instruments administered in the study were the Adapted Conflict Tactics Scale, the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Interview Schedule, the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children, and the Children's Impact of Events Scale. The most frequently diagnosed symptoms of posttrauma stress disorder among the children were being troubled by distressing thoughts, conscious avoidance, hypervigilance, and sleep difficulties. Twenty percent of the children met the criteria for a diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children who met full PTSD criteria scored significantly higher on measures of anxiety, depression, and dissociation. Study results thus support the use of a posttrauma framework for understanding the effects on children of being exposed to domestic violence between their parents or caretakers. 2 tables and 42 references