Child Abuse Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Child Abuse, including details on family violence, examinations, long-term effects, psychiatrics disorders.

Intersection of child abuse and children's exposure to domestic violence.

Herrenkohl TI, Sousa C, Tajima EA, Herrenkohl RC, Moylan CA

School of Social Work, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105-6299, USA. tih@u.washington.edu

This review addresses research on the overlap in physical child abuse and domestic violence, the prediction of child outcomes, and resilience in children exposed to family violence. The authors explore current findings on the intersection of physical child abuse and domestic violence within the context of other risk factors, including community violence and related family and environmental stressors. Evidence from the studies reviewed suggests considerable overlap, compounding effects, and possible gender differences in outcomes of violence exposure. The data indicate a need to apply a broad conceptualization of risk to the study of family violence and its effects on children. Further testing of competing theoretical models will advance understanding of the pathways through which exposure leads to later problems in youth, as well as protective factors and processes through which resilience unfolds.

Published 27 March 2008 in Trauma Violence Abuse, 9(2): 84-99.
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