Mother's exposure to domestic and community violence and its association with child's behavioral outcomes

• Published in: Journal of community psychology Vol. 49; no. 7; pp. 2623 - 2638
• Main Authors: Chen, Wan‐Yi, Lee, Yookyong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.09.2021
• Subjects: Aggressiveness; child outcomes; Children; Children & youth; community violence; Domestic violence; Emotional abuse; harsh parenting; Mothers; Risk factors; Victimization; Well being; domestic violence; community violence; harsh parenting; child outcomes
• ISSN: 0090-4392; 1520-6629
• DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22508

This study investigated the potential cumulative effect of maternal exposure to violence both at home and in community on children. This study used the data (N = 2506) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing study. We found that maternal nonphysical victimization, either by witnessing violence in the community or by experiencing psychological domestic violence, had a direct negative effect on children's depression and anxiety. Maternal nonphysical victimization also indirectly elevated child's aggression through mother's use of psychological and physical aggression toward the child. Witnessing community violence by mothers, directly and indirectly, worsened the child's withdrawal behaviors through the mother's psychological aggression toward the child. Mother's direct victimization by community violence and physical domestic violence was not related to child's behavioral outcomes after controlling for other risk factors. This study points to important considerations for devising intervention and prevention for mothers and children. Implications for research and practice are discussed.