Citation

Doucet M, Fortin A. Can. J. Behav. Sci. 2014; 46(2): 162-174.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Canadian Psychological Association, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1037/a0028368

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to explore patterns of adjustment among children exposed to domestic violence. Several variables were investigated as potential factors that discriminate those patterns. Anxious, depressive and externalizing problems were evaluated in a sample of 116 8 to 12 year old children recruited in a shelter for battered women and other agencies providing services to families living in the context of domestic violence. Four cluster patterns were identified: Externalizing problems only; Internalizing problems only; Both internalizing and externalizing problems; and No problem reported. Furthermore, results indicated that physical abuse toward children, quality of the mother-child relationship, children's appraisals of violence and children's parentification distinguished clusters.

DISCUSSION underscores the variability of adjustment problems in children exposed to domestic violence and mechanisms that may contribute to this heterogeneity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved)

Keywords

Adjustment; Anxiety; Domestic Violence; Exposure to Violence; Internalization; Major Depression