Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Domestic violence and its effects on children
The effects of verbal and physical abuse on children
Domestic violence and its effects on children
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Domestic violence and its effects on children
Studies indicate that 30-43% of children in the United States have witnessed some form of physical violence between their parents. This violence can have a profound effect on preschoolers cognitive and emotional development. Studies suggest that younger children may be more vulnerable to the effects of witnessing domestic violence than older children (Johnson and Lieberman, 2011) so it is very disturbing to recognize that young children are more likely to witness incidents of violence than older children (Ybarra, Wilkens, & Lieberman, 2011). Witnessing these acts of violence has a detrimental effect on the cognitive development as well as emotion regulation and internalizing and externalizing behaviors in preschoolers (Lieberman, 2011; Ybarra, Wilkens, & Lieberman). Studies show that dysfunctional development can be deterred through a positive relationship with mother and child, and that resilience is possible if a nurturing relationship exists in which the mother is attuned to her child’s emotions.
Having at least one parent who enacts in physical violence, psychological aggression, or high levels of other conflictual behaviors toward their adult partner has a positive correlate to child behavior difficulties and young children are severely impacted by violence within their families (Ybarra, Wilkens, & Lieberman). One of the major setbacks experienced by preschoolers who witness domestic violence is their impaired verbal ability. Three to five year old children exposed to domestic violence display lower verbal abilities than their non-exposed peers. There is a 4% variation on young children’s IQ when they are exposed to domestic violence which calculates to an average reduction of eight points. This IQ setback fo...
... middle of paper ...
... Cited
Johnson, V & Lieberman, A. (2011). Variations in Behavior Problems of Preschoolers Exposed to Domestic Violence: The Role of Mothers’ Attunement to Children’s Emotional Experiences. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 297-308
Lieberman, A. (2011). Ghosts and Angels: Intergenerational Patterns in the Transmission
And Treatment of the Traumatic Sequelae of Domestic Violence. Infant Mental
Health Journal, 28(4), 422-439.
Newman & Newman. (2012). Development Through Life A Psychosocial Approach.
Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Martinez-Torteya G. et. al. (2012). Resilience Among Children Exposed to Domestic
Violence: The Role of Risk and Protective Factors. Child Development, 80,(2),
562-577.
Ybarra, G., Wilkens, S., & Lieberman, A. (2011). The Influence of Domestic Violence
on Behavior and Functioning. Journal of Family Violence, 22, 33-42.
Thornton, Victoria. “Understanding the Emotional Impact of Domestic Violence on Young Children." Educational & Child Psychology, Mar2014, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p90-100, 11p, 3 Black and White Photographs, 1 Diagram; found on p95
Slater, A., and Muir, D., (1998). The Blackwell Reader in Developmental Psychology. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers, Ltd.
While the case listed above was an unfortunate event, imagine the children who do not exhibit such harsh behavior and still get overlooked? Many children who are exposed to violent behavior in the household tend to become numb and emotionally unavailable (Weithorn, Behrman, 1999). They do not have to show anger or be physically violent, some children seem to become silent, depress and possibly distance themselves from others. I had the privilege of interviewing a professional in the education field. Shayna Bennett- Givner is the director for Teenie’s Tot Daycare located in Pittsburgh. I wanted to get a first-hand insight on behavioral issues and how she has to deal with them with in her business.
According to the book, Children Who See Too Much, frequent exposure to violence changes the structure of the developing brain. And, it also leaves marks on the chemistry of a young child’s brain (Groves, 37). The children begin to be afraid of their environment because they see their world as unpredictable and dangerous. Hence, them become very aware of their environment, they become guarded waiting for the next dangerous thing that might happen (Groves, 46) Seeing violence at home also affects the child in school. Because their fight or flight system is always running, it begins to interfere with the ability to do learning tasks in school. “They do not complete assignments. They may be highly active and restless.” (Groves, 47) “It affects their emotional development their social functioning, their ability to learn and focus in school, their moral development, and their ability to negotiate in intimate relationships as adolescents and adults.” (Groves, 57). Children are also at risk for both internalizing factors such as anxiety, depression, and self-blame. They are also susceptible to externalizing factors such as aggression and delinquency behaviors. Witnessing or hearing abuse can also affect children in the long run. If they witness long term abuse, it can become “a form of modeling for present and future behavior” according to the Handbook of Domestic Violence Intervention Strategies by Albert
Shaffer, D. R., & Kipp, K. (2014). Infancy. In Developmental psychology: Childhood and adolescence (p. 158). Australia: Wadsworth.
The phrase “domestic violence” typically refers to violence between adult intimate partners. It has been estimated that every year there are about 3.3 to 10 million children exposed to domestic violence in the confines of their own home (Moylan, Herrenkohl, Sousa et al. 2009). According to research conducted by John W. Fantuzzo and Wanda K. Mohr(1999): “[e]xposure to domestic violence can include watching or hearing the violent events, direct involvement (for example, trying to intervene or calling the police), or experiencing the aftermath (for example, seeing bruises or observing maternal depression)” (Fantuzzo & Mohr, 22). The effects of exposure can vary from direct effects such as behavioral and developmental issues to interpersonal relationships, all of which lead to detrimental prospects on the child’s development. This paper will explore those effects and how it affects children.
There exists a vast amount of literature that suggests that there is a connection between intimate partner violence and maladaptive outcomes for children. Studies have shown that children who witness violence undermine the children’s sense of security. Intimate partner violence (IPV) proves to be distressing and deregulating for the children victims of intimate partner violence. Not only is witnessing violence distressing for children, but it has also been shown that it can interfere with the deal with stressors and learn age-appropriate skills. While there have been many studies that show the effects of IPV on the development of children, there have not been studies that show how IPV can affect children’s memory skills.
The early childhood years are a period of rapid change in the brain, this leaves children exceptionally vulnerable to psychological abuse. Psychological abuse includes rejecting, ignoring, criticizing, belittling, humiliating, threatening with violence, or otherwise terrorizing the child, all of which have the effect of eroding the child's self-esteem and sense of security. Psychological abuse can come as a result of actions that do not specifically target the child. Studies show that children who have experienced domestic violence are more anxious and insecure then those who do not. Children who observe violence react with many of the same psychological symptoms as children who have experienced it directly. Psychological abuse is often accompanied by other forms of abuse. It is difficult to prove, however, and rarely is
Children today are likely to experience or witness violence at home. Researchers are concerned about the effect domestic violence has on children, and has prompted researchers to conduct an increasing number of investigations into this issue. Social learning theory and Erikson's theory of basic trust are two tools used to predict aggressive behavior in children.
The biggest victims of domestic violence are the littlest. The home is supposed to be a safe and secure environment for children with loving parents and free from violence. Children need a secure environment where they can come home to when the outside world is unsafe. However, every year there are millions of children whose homes are not a safe haven. Millions of children are exposed to a parent being violently assaulted. Domestic violence is a prevalent social issue in America today. First, who is affected by domestic violence is addressed. Second, the impact of domestic violence on children is established. Third, the social harm of domestic violence is depicted. This paper argues that domestic violence has tremendous affects on children.
Maianu, C. (2011, Spring semester). Child Development, Psychology 212, [Lecture notes]. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Harrisburg Area Community College.
Lundy, M., & Grossman, S. F. (2005). The mental health and service needs of young children exposed to domestic violence: Supportive data. Families in Society, 86(1), 17-29. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/230168631?accountid=10825
In the article “The Mental Health of Children Who Witness Domestic Violence”, Meltzer et al. (2009) noted that domestic violence is not only limited to seeing the actual violent acts taking place, but it also includes witnessing the outcomes of the violence. These outcomes can include seeing their parent hurt and depressed, as well as noticing the broken objects left around the house. As well as defining domestic violence, Meltzer et al. (2009) discussed the steps that were taken to conduct a random research on families and children that had been exposed to domestic violence and those who had not. The researchers identified...
How does domestic violence between parents and parental figures affect the children who witness it? This is a question often asked by Sociologists and Psychologists alike. There have been studies that prove that children who witness domestic inter-parental violence experience mental health problems, issues with gender roles, substance abuse, the committing of crimes and suicide/suicide attempts later in their lives. This paper will explore all five of these 'effects' of domestic violence on children and show that there is evidence of a clear relationship in which increasing parental violence is associated with increasing outcome risks (Fergusson & Horwood, 1998, p.8).
U.S Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Retrieved from Early Childhood Learning and Knowledge Center: http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/ecdh/eecd/Domains%20of%20Child%20Development/Social%20and%20Emotional%20Development