Domestic Violence and Problem Behaviors Among (Exposed) Children

Domestic violence includes spousal battery, verbal and sexual abuse, child abuse and assault, and abuse of parents perpetrated by adult children. This study is a secondary analysis of the data originally collected by Keilitz, Hannaford, and Efkeman (2000)and will focus on the nature of domestic violence experienced by the child(ren), including whether they have witnessed violence in the home and or been physically harmed themselves; specific conditions of the temporary restraining order (TRO) and civil protection order (CPO); factors related to compliance with the TRO/CPO that directly involve the petitioner; and factors related to compliance with the TRO/CPO that directly involve the children. This research found that children who witness domestic violence are significantly more likely to experience one or more behavioral problems than children who did not witness violence. Similarly, children who themselves were physically harmed and children who both witness and experience violence are more likely to manifest behavioral problems than children without those exposures to violence.