NCJ Number
175129
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 13 Issue: 3 Dated: September 1998 Pages: 213-232
Date Published
1998
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This study investigated whether children's emotional responses and intensity of affect when exposed to simulated verbal arguments between parents varied as a function of actual conflict in their homes as well as conflict topic.
Abstract
Consistent with a sensitization hypothesis (Cummings, 1994), the researchers anticipated that children with a history of witnessing spousal abuse would experience greater intensity of negative affect across all conflict topics than children without such a history. Responses to three conflict topics (money, child- related, and political candidate) were examined in two groups of 5.5- through 12-year-olds. One group was composed of 40 children who had witnessed spouse abuse in their homes, and the second group consisted of 72 children from nonviolent homes. Children listened to taped scenarios (with accompanying drawings) of two parents engaged in one friendly and three angry interactions. Children reported their feelings, intensity of feelings, and coping strategies. Children's emotional responses varied from sadness, to anger, to guilt, depending on their age and the conflict topic. Primary control strategies for coping with family conflict (e.g., direct intervention) were favored for all. Boys from violent homes responded to certain simulated conflicts with more intense anger and sadness than other children. Results support the contention that conflicts on various topics are recognized by children, and they respond negatively. Boys seem especially vulnerable to the emotional effects of parental conflict, as do children with a prior history of witnessing domestic violence; based on self-reports, children of all ages tended to respond to conflict between parents with strategies that resulted in their direct involvement. Issues for further research are identified. 6 tables and 25 references