Exposure of Homeless Children to Family Violence: An Adverse Effect Beyond Alternative Explanations

• NCJ Number: 195470
• Journal: Journal of Emotional Abuse Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: 2001 Pages: 5-18
• Author(s): Kevin J. Gully; Shane Koller; Allen D. Ainsworth
• Date Published: 2001
• Length: 14 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study reported on the effect of exposure to family violence upon homeless children taking into account variance due to alternative explanations.

Abstract

One hundred and nine homeless mothers, each with one child (ages 4 through 17), participated in this study, completing both questionnaires and tests. Results showed that exposure to family violence did have an adverse effect upon children independent of alternative reasons, including maternal marital status, maternal education, maternal hospitalization for mental health problems, maternal detoxification or hospitalization for substance or alcohol abuse, gender of the child, age of the child, ethnicity of the child, residential moves during the prior 2 years, aggregate time homeless during the prior 2 years, a history of physical abuse for the child, intelligence of the child, the extent that the child was physically nurtured, and expectations that the child had for personal control. Additional results were obtained in that the mothers' ratings about the extent to which their children had been exposed to family violence agreed with the ratings provided by their children. Also, the data consistently revealed that exposure to family violence correlated with external behavioral problems, such as aggression or conduct problems. The study revealed that externalized more than internalized behavioral problems might be an outcome from exposure to family violence. It is recommended that perhaps the lack of internal behavior problems found by the study, such as anxiety, may be due to the fact that the study did not address the relationship of the perpetrator to the child and the severity of the violence observed by the child. Finally, the study showed that family violence exposure could adversely affect homeless children significantly, in terms of future use of aggression and violence in their own behavior, in addition to the alternative explanations given above. It is hoped that this information will help expand prevention and treatment services to children to help prevent them from repeating the violent behavior of their adult family members. Tables, references