NCJ Number
209496
Journal
Journal of Interpersonal Violence Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: February 2002 Pages: 150-164
Date Published
February 2002
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Using mothers' reports, this study examined symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for 39 children who had witnessed domestic violence and 23 children who were living in homes where domestic violence was currently occurring.
Abstract
The 46-item Severity of Violence Against Women Scales was used to assess the mothers' experiences of domestic violence, including threats of violence, violent acts, and sexual abuse. Children's emotional and behavioral functioning was assessed through mothers' reports on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Children's PTSD symptoms were assessed by mothers' reports on 2 instruments: the PTSD scale from the CBCL and an 18-item measure of PTSD symptoms in preschool children developed for this study based on the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD symptoms. Symptoms relevant to young children's traumatic responses were included. All of the mothers in the sample reported that they had experienced domestic violence during the past year. Of the 62 children in the study, mothers reported that 63 percent (n=39) had witnessed the violence, and the rest of the children (n=23) were living in the home during the period of the abuse. Of the children who had witnessed the domestic violence events, three had been physically abused themselves. The study concluded that preschool children who witness domestic violence or live in homes where it has occurred without directly witnessing it suffer from symptoms of PTSD. The children were apparently most vulnerable to symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma and hyperarousal; however, a few of the children met criteria for the diagnosis of PTSD. Children with the symptoms of re-experiencing the trauma also had more externalizing behavior problems. Study limitations and future research are discussed. 3 tables and 37 references