NCJ Number
210052
Journal
Violence and Victims Volume: 19 Issue: 5 Dated: October 2004 Pages: 573-591
Date Published
October 2004
Length
19 pages
Annotation
Utilizing a cohort of children at risk for maltreatment, this study examined the association between physical domestic violence and reported child maltreatment.
Abstract
Research has well-documented the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child maltreatment with most of these prior studies based on clinical samples or convenience samples of mothers in battered shelters. This study attempts to take advantage of an ongoing longitudinal study of low socioeconomic status (SES), high-risk families to determine the extent to which domestic violence is associated with reported child maltreatment. The study examined the association between physical domestic violence (PDV) and reported child maltreatment in a cohort of children at risk for maltreatment. Study participants consisted of 219, 6 to 7 year-old children and their caregivers. PDV was seen as a significant risk factor for a child maltreatment report. The results appear to support the use of an ecological approach to understanding the relationship between domestic violence and child maltreatment in this high-risk sample. Future research is recommended in efforts to address those interventions that may be most effective given the difficulties involved in preventing child maltreatment in the context of domestic violence. References