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Psychological Distress of Children and Mothers in Domestic Violence Emergency Shelters

NCJ Number
212999
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 20 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2005 Pages: 389-402
Author(s)
Kelly L. Jarvis; Erin E. Gordon; Raymond W. Novaco
Date Published
December 2005
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study evaluated the psychological functioning of mothers and children who were residents of two domestic violence emergency shelters, focusing specifically on the effects of interparental violence and direct child abuse.
Abstract
Results of the study indicated that the amount of exposure to violence was significantly associated with children’s posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, but was not related to children’s behavior problems. The results also suggest that domestic violence shelter programs should offer targeted psychotherapeutic interventions for trauma symptoms, depression, anxiety, and anger. Children’s intervention in the interparental violence was significantly associated with both children’s PTSD symptom and maternal depression. Maternal anger and anxiety were significantly associated with child behavior problems but not child PTSD symptoms. Other findings indicated that children had positive views of shelter life and mother-child relationships were rated highly by both mothers and children. Most participants came from highly violent homes and the majority of children reported attempts at intervening in the violent relationship. Participants were 30 mother-child sets who were residing in 2 domestic violence emergency shelters and who agreed to undergo both mother and child interviews. Participants completed a series of interview instruments measuring family violence, depression symptoms, child PTSD symptoms, and child problem behavior. Figure, tables, footnotes