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Article Summary

Gewirtz, A.H., and Edleson, J.L. April 2007.
Young children's exposure to intimate partner violence: Towards a developmental risk and resilience framework for research and intervention. Journal of Family Violence 22(3):151–164.

The authors stress the relevance of risk factors such as premature birth, parent mental illness, physical abuse, parental substance abuse, child exposure to violence, and homelessness and poverty, linking them to poor emotional, physical, and behavioral development of children. They note that when one risk factor is identified it is usually evident that others are present, and that chronic risk factors are more likely than acute risk factors to have a long-lasting and damaging effect. The authors relate that more than 30 studies of the relationship between child maltreatment and adult domestic violence demonstrate a 41 percent median co-occurrence of child maltreatment. Another study found that 45 percent of 111 mothers who were anonymously surveyed said their children came into the room when abuse was taking place, 18 percent said their children frequently came into the room when abuse was happening, and 23 percent reported that their children never came into the room. Another study found that younger children were much more likely to witness violence than older children (Fantuzzo et al., 1997). The authors report that children exposed to violence are more likely to show internalized (fearful and inhibited behaviors) and externalized ( increased aggression and anti-social behaviors) behaviors (Fantuzzo et al., 1991; Holden et al., 1998; Hughes, 1988; Hughes et al., 1989). Finally, they call for further research and action, asserting that with early action, we can help children exposed to violence at a young age.