NCJ Number
171753
Journal
Journal of Emotional Abuse Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (1998) Pages: 59-84
Date Published
1998
Length
26 pages
Annotation
Twenty-one preschool children of battered women and 25 children of the same age from nonviolent homes were studied with respect to their social interactions and emotional adjustment.
Abstract
The mothers were recruited through announcements made at preschool centers, at support groups for battered women, and at domestic violence shelters in two communities. Mothers rated the frequency of emotional and physical abuse during the past year, their mental health, parenting qualities, and the child's adjustment. In addition, two observers assessed the free play of each child in a small group setting on three separate occasions. The levels of emotional expression and regulation, interaction with peers and caregivers, and the observers' ratings of the child were analyzed. Results revealed that children who were exposed to parental violence had many more behavioral problems, exhibited significantly more negative affect, responded less appropriately to situations, were more aggressive with peers, and had more ambivalent relationships with their caregivers than did the children from nonviolent families. Regression analyses revealed that emotional abuse of the mother and the mother's self-esteem were the most significant were the most significant predictors of the child's adjustment and social behavior. Tables, appended child rating scale, and 61 references (Author abstract modified)