Intimate partner violence and children’s cognitive development

• Published in: Empirical economics Vol. 69; no. 2; pp. 1001 - 1046
• Main Authors: Jofre-Bonet, Mireia, Roig, Melcior Rossello, Serra-Sastre, Victoria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Heidelberg Springer Nature B.V 01.08.2025
• Subjects: Abused children; Academic achievement; Age; Child abuse & neglect; Childhood; Children & youth; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive ability; Cognitive development; Cohort analysis; Curricula; Domestic violence; Families & family life; Households; Human capital; Information technology; Intimate partner violence; Mathematics; Mothers; Parents & parenting; Physical education; Prior knowledge; School violence; Selection bias; Self esteem; Skills; Teachers; Writing; United Kingdom > UK
• ISSN: 0377-7332; 1435-8921
• DOI: 10.1007/s00181-025-02746-9

This study examines how intimate partner violence (IPV) affects the educational outcomes of children living in violent households. We employ data from the Millennium Cohort Study, a longitudinal survey that follows about 19,000 children born in the UK in 2000–2001. We use their educational performance measures in English, Science, Mathematics, Physical Education, Creativity, and Information and Technology at ages 7 and 11. We find that children exposed to IPV have worse educational outcomes. Children living with abused mothers have lower scores in English and Maths by age 11. These results remain consistent across different definitions of IPV and remains significant even after controlling for potential sample selection bias. Subjects that require prior knowledge, such as Maths and Science, are more strongly affected.