© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Intimate Partner Violence Harms Children In Various Ways  Perpetrators of violence may physically harm their intimate partner and their children  They may sexually abuse their children or the children of their intimate partner  The physical abuse prevents the victim of violence from caring for the children

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Harms Continued…  Children may be coerced by the perpetrator to assist in the violence against the victim  Children witness violence  Perpetrators of violence may undermine interventions to protect children

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation How Does Witnessing IPV Affect Children?  Children’s Problems Associated with Witnessing Violence have been categorized as: Behavioral and Emotional Cognitive Functioning and Attitude Longer Term

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation  Children who witness parental IPV may exhibit aggression hostility anxiety social withdrawal cognitive-functioning problems depression lower-verbal and quantitative skills attitudes supporting violence (Edleson 1999)

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Impact of Exposure to Domestic Violence  Increase in Externalizing Behaviors Aggressiveness Behavior problems in school  Temper Tantrums  Fights

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation  Increase in Internalizing Behaviors Depression Suicidal Behavior Anxiety Fear Phobias Insomnia Bed-wetting Low Self-Esteem

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation  Cognitive and Academic Functioning Problems Impaired ability to concentrate Difficulty with school work Lower scores in verbal, motor and cognitive measures

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Witnessing IPV and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)  Study by Kilpatrick, Litt and Williams (1997) showed that 85% of children ages 6-12 who witnessed IPV had moderate to severe PTSD symptoms  Compared to 0% of the control group who had witnessed no violence

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation PTSD Symptoms May Be  Emotional Numbing  Increased Arousal  Avoidance of Reminders of the Violent Event  Obsessive or Repeated Focus on the Event

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Long Term Implications  Retrospective studies have shown that negative effects of IPV persist into adulthood with increased rates of Depression Poor Self-Esteem Violent Practices in the Home Criminal Behavior  Fantuzzo and Mohr 1999

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation Impacts of Violence on Child Development  Infancy Insecure attachment

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation  Toddlers Hesitancy to explore Separation Anxiety Aggression Withdrawal Reduced ability to cope with frustrations Communication problems

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation  Preschoolers Disrupted Interpersonal Relationships Cognitive Difficulties Lack in peer support Caretaking by child

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation  School-age and Adolescents Aggression, Delinquency Self-Destructive Behaviors Bias for interpreting hostile intent Limited competent social responses Depression, Anxiety, Fear Post-Traumatic Stress Symptoms Hypervigilance, Hyperarousal

© CDHS College Relations Group Buffalo State College/SUNY at Buffalo Research Foundation  Disruptions at one stage my contribute to the next stage further disrupting the mastery of the following developmental stages