Community-Based Treatment Outcomes for Parents and Children Exposed to Domestic Violence

• NCJ Number: 223674
• Journal: Journal of Emotional Abuse Volume: 8 Issue: 1/2 Dated: 2008 Pages: 187-204
• Author(s): Kimberly D. Becker; Gloria Mathis; Charles W. Mueller; Kata Issari; Su Shen Atta
• Date Published: 2008
• Length: 18 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined treatment outcomes for a 12-week, community-based group intervention program for children and nonoffending parents/guardians exposed to family violence.

Abstract

A pre/posttreatment evaluation design found statistically and clinically significant improvement in participants over the course of treatment. Children's and parents' skills in dealing with domestic violence improved following the intervention. Parents reported improvement in parenting skills after treatment. Children showed improvements in problematic emotional and behavioral problems after the program. Between 2001 and 2003, children from 106 families were referred to the Haupoa Family Component, a unit of a domestic violence program within Parents and Children Together (PACT). Recruitment for the current study included random selection of 1 child from each family, producing a sample size of 106 children (37 boys and 69 girls) between the ages of 3 and 17. The Haupoa Family Component is a community-based group intervention program, which provides 90-minute weekly support and psychoeducation groups over 12 weeks. Children's groups provide a safe setting in which children can learn more about family violence, explore their beliefs and attitudes regarding violence, and develop or enhance healthy coping skills. Parent intervention is provided weekly through a simultaneous parenting support and education group in which parents learn what their children were learning in their group, with attention to parenting the child in the aftermath of domestic violence, so as to promote their ability to cope with their perceptions and feelings. Counselors completed a checklist of skills related to coping with domestic violence before and after the program. Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist before and after intervention, and counselors completed a rating checklist for each parent before and after the intervention. Also, an instrument was developed by program staff for assessing parenting behaviors addressed in the treatment program. 1 table, 3 notes, 24 references, and appended Parenting Practices instrument