Effects of Partner Violence and Physical Child Abuse on Child Behavior: A Study of Abused and Comparison Children

• NCJ Number: 194586
• Journal: Journal of Family Violence Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: March 2002 Pages: 23-52
• Author(s): Suzanne Salzinger; Richard S. Feldman; Daisy S. Ng-Mak; Elena Mojica; Tanya Stockhammer; Margaret Rosario
• Date Published: March 2002
• Length: 30 pages
• Grant Number(s): MH48917
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Netherlands
• Note: A portion of this paper was presented at a symposium at the 1999 meetings of the Society for Research in Child Development.

Annotation

This study tested a model of the effects on a child's behavior of his/her exposure to partner violence and child abuse.

Abstract

The proposed model recognizes that family contextual factors are significant in determining a child's behavioral outcome. The proposed ecological model designates family stress as the primary exogenous factor, with effects on child behavioral outcome mediated through caretaker distress, partner violence, and child abuse. The sample used to test this model consisted of 100 confirmed cases of physically abused New York City school children, ages 9 to 12 years, along with their families and 100 nonmaltreated classmates who were matched with the sample of abused children for gender, age, and, as closely as possible, for race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Child behavioral outcomes were assessed by classmates for antisocial, prosocial, and withdrawn behavior. Parents and teachers assessed the children for externalizing and internalizing problem behavior. The findings were generally consistent with the hypothesis that partner violence and caretaker distress, both associated with family stress, increased the risk for child abuse, thereby increasing the child's risk for poor behavioral outcome. The most obvious implication of these findings for intervention and prevention is the necessity of screening for child abuse in households where partner violence is occurring. For families reported for child abuse, the subsequent evaluation for further risk of child abuse must include an investigation of the occurrence of other family violence and the level of caretaker distress. An intervention that targets partner violence alone must not be assumed sufficient to protect the child in the future. This paper also discusses differences among raters in assessing child behavioral outcome and the heterogeneity of child behavioral outcomes. 3 tables, 6 figures, and 67 references