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Article Summary

Moylan, C. A., Herrenkohl, T. I., Sousa, C., Tajima, E. A., Herrenkohl, R. C., & Russo, J. M. (2010).
The effects of child abuse and exposure to domestic violence on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. Journal of Family Violence, 25(1), 53-63. doi: 10.1007/s10896-009-9269-9

Statistics and research have indicated that a significant percentage of children are exposed to domestic violence as well as abuse. The authors of this study investigated the effects that domestic violence, child abuse, or a combination of both (dual exposure) have on adolescent internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The authors used data from the Lehigh Longitudinal Study begun in the 1970s, which examined developmental consequences of child maltreatment. The research assessed data collected from three waves representative of three important developmental points for children (preschool, school age, and adolescence). A total sample of 457 children was analyzed to understand the impact that exposure to violence had on development of internalizing and externalizing behaviors. The authors also applied a gender measure to their research, examining whether gender was a potential moderator of child abuse and domestic violence. From the data, the authors confirmed the hypothesis that, without doubt, children exposed to violence have more problems with adolescent externalizing and internalizing behavior than those who are not exposed to either form of violence. Therefore, youth exposed directly to both abuse and domestic violence were more vulnerable to risk for an entire range of internalizing and externalizing behavior problems. However, youth who experienced exposure to either abuse or domestic violence but not both exhibited only some of those problems. As far as observations about gender are concerned, females were more likely than males to have internalizing behaviors, while males were more likely to demonstrate externalizing behaviors. Gender also does not appear to moderate exposure to abuse and domestic violence.