PUBLICATIONS

 

CHILD EXPOSURE TO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Chiodo, D., Leschied, A.W., Whitehead, P., & Hurley, D (2008).  Child welfare practice and policy related to the impact of children experiencing physical victimization and domestic violence.  Children and Youth Services Review, 30, 564-574.

The impact of family violence on children seen in a children's aid society was investigated. Three groups of maltreated children were investigated: those exposed to domestic violence against women, physically abused, and children who experienced both. Child outcomes reflected behavioral and school-related problems, delinquency, and elevation in overall risk. There was considerable variability on the effects of exposure to children. Children exposed to domestic violence against women and children who were physically abused did not differ on a variety of child outcomes. Children experiencing the combined effects of physical maltreatment and exposure to domestic violence experienced the poorest adjustment reflected in grade repetition, involvement in delinquency, and on overall risk compared to physically abused or children exposed to domestic violence against women alone. Implications for child welfare practice and policy are discussed.

Scott, K. S., Francis, K., Crooks, C., Paddon, M., & Wolfe, D. A. (2007). Guidelines for intervention with abusive fathers. In J. L. Edleson & O. J. Williams (Eds.), Parenting by men who batter: New directions for assessment and intervention (pp. 102-117). New York: Guilford.

In this chapter, we draw upon our experiences with the Caring Dads program to describe issues that arise in designing and providing intervention with fathers who have abused their children and/or intimate partners, and to outline a series of guidelines for program accountability.

D. A. Wolfe, C. V. Crooks, V. Lee, A. McIntyre-Smith and P. G. Jaffe (2003) The effects of children's exposure to domestic violence: a meta-analysis and critique. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 6, 3p.171-87

A wide range of children's developmental outcomes are compromised by exposure to domestic violence, including social, emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and general health functioning. However, there are relatively few empirical studies with adequate control of confounding variables and a sound theoretical basis. We identified 41 studies that provided relevant and adequate data for inclusion in a meta-analysis. Forty of these studies indicated that children's exposure to domestic violence was related to emotional and behavioral problems, translating to a small overall effect (Zr = .28). Age, sex, and type of outcome were not significant moderators, most likely due to considerable heterogeneity within each of these groups. Co-occurrence of child abuse increased the level of emotional and behavioral problems above and beyond exposure alone, based on 4 available studies. Future research needs are identified, including the need for large-scale longitudinal data and theoretically guided approaches that take into account relevant contextual factors.

P. G. Jaffe, C. V. Crooks and D. A. Wolfe (2003) Legal and policy responses to children exposed to domestic violence: the need to evaluate intended and unintended consequences. Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev 6, 3p.205-13

Greater training and specialization in working with children exposed to domestic violence has resulted in new policies, interagency protocols, and legislation in many states. This paper examines court-related responses in criminal, child protection, and family court custody proceedings, which highlight legislative changes and resulting systemic change. Although this legislation originated with the best of intentions to assist and protect children, some of the most striking outcomes have been negative and unintended. Laws that mandate reporting of children exposed to domestic violence can clash with inadequate training and resources, or inadvertently revictimize abused women. Similarly, child custody legislation that raises a rebuttable presumption that a violent spouse will not receive custody or joint custody of children after parental separation has resulted in greater skepticism about abuse allegations We propose that efforts at law reform can be enhanced by a more thoughtful analysis of potential intended and unintended consequences, and should be accompanied by a comprehensive evaluation plan to monitor implementation effects.

D. A. Wolfe and B. Korsch (1994) Witnessing domestic violence during childhood and adolescence: implication for pediatric practice. Pediatrics 94, 4 Pt 2p.594-9

The traditional role of the pediatrician, which consisted primarily of making diagnoses and prescribing treatments for specific disease entities in children, has expanded dramatically to include psychosocial aspects of health care as well as problems that are primarily psychological, emotional, or social in nature and that extend in various ways to the family and to the child's environment. One of these problems has been identified as the manner in which witnessing domestic violence, a significant and relatively commonplace event for many children today, affects child development and behavior. This paper reviews our existing knowledge of such events and explores how exposure to conflict and violence plays a major role in how children learn to relate to others, how they develop their self-concept and self-control, and how they interact with dating and marital partners in the future. We conclude with a discussion of the role of the pediatrician in interviewing children and other family members and in identifying appropriate avenues for prevention and treatment. Major recommendations derived from this paper include: decreasing the attitudinal barriers to exploring this issue; increasing sensitivity to clinical features and behavioral symptoms of children who witness domestic violence; and increasing knowledge of available resources for treatment and prevention.

P. G. Jaffe, D. J. Hurley and D. Wolfe (1990) Children's observations of violence: I. Critical issues in child development and intervention planning. Can J Psychiatry 35, 6p.466-70

Children are often the unintended or indirect victims of wife abuse as witnesses of this violence in their family. Current research on these children and a conceptual framework to understand how this violence affects their development are outlined. The implications of this research are discussed in terms of several intervention strategies. The importance of primary prevention programs in school systems is stressed.

D. A. Wolfe, L. Zak, S. Wilson and P. Jaffe (1986) Child witnesses to violence between parents: critical issues in behavioral and social adjustment. J Abnorm Child Psychol 14, 1p.95-104

This study examined the impact of exposure to family violence on children's adjustment. Two groups of residents of shelters for battered women (current and former residents) were compared to a nonviolent control group. All three groups of mothers completed interviews and self-report questionnaires related to both their own and their children's adjustment. Children recently witnessing violence tended to have the lowest levels of social competence ratings, and their mothers reported the most health and emotional difficulties. Former residents of shelters experienced the highest level of family/social disadvantage. The results are discussed in the context of previous research findings, and implications for intervention programs are outlined.

P. Jaffe, D. Wolfe, S. K. Wilson and L. Zak (1986) Family violence and child adjustment: a comparative analysis of girls' and boys' behavioral symptoms. Am J Psychiatry 143, 1p.74-7

The authors compared behavior problems and social competence in 126 boys and girls (age 6-11) from violent and nonviolent families, on the basis of maternal ratings on the Achenbach Child Behavior Checklist. Girls from violent families were reported as showing more internalizing behavior problems and a lower level of social competence than their nonviolent comparison group. Boys from violent families were reported as demonstrating both internalizing and externalizing behavior problems, in addition to having a lower level of social competence. For boys, the level of exposure to violence between parents was significantly associated with greater adjustment problems.

P. Jaffe, D. Wolfe, S. Wilson and L. Zak (1986) Similarities in behavioral and social maladjustment among child victims and witnesses to family violence. Am J Orthopsychiatry 56, 1p.142-6

This study examines the impact of exposure to family violence on school-aged boys. Boys who had witnessed violence between their parents were compared to boys who had been abused by their parents. The findings indicate that boys exposed to violence had a pattern of adjustment problems similar to those of abused boys and significantly different in severity and type from those of a community comparison group.

D. A. Wolfe, P. Jaffe, S. K. Wilson and L. Zak (1985) Children of battered women: the relation of child behavior to family violence and maternal stress. J Consult Clin Psychol 53, 5p.657-65