NCJ Number
127719
Journal
Journal of Family Violence Volume: 5 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1990) Pages: 285-299
Date Published
1990
Length
15 pages
Annotation
The present study examines the impact of interparental violence and abuse on adolescents and how the impact differs according to gender.
Abstract
The sample consisted of 101 adolescents from 5 settings, 4 residential agencies, and 1 runaway youth shelter. The most common reasons for referral were family conflict, homelessness, problem behaviors, and school problems. Most of the hypothesized correlates or outcomes of exposure to marital violence were not supported in this sample of adolescents. Girls were not found to be depressed nor to run away from home as a function of witnessing violence between their parents. Nor was exposure to marital violence a significant predictor of use of violence toward one's parents. Also witnessing marital violence was unrelated to approval of dating violence or direct experiences with violence in actual dating relationships. Only two hypotheses received even partial support. Boys exposed to domestic violence were more likely to run away from home and report suicidal thoughts. There was also a tendency for them to be more likely to hit their mother, compared to boys from more peaceful homes. Nor was a relationship identified between the extent of marital violence and adolescent distress with the exception of elevated depression among boys exposed to frequent wife abuse. 33 references and 1 table (Publisher abstract modified)