NCJ Number
241386
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect Volume: 36 Issue: 9 Dated: September 2012 Pages: 671-675
Date Published
September 2012
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study investigated how children's reaction to traumatic stress might be associated with other adjustment problems.
Abstract
Findings from this study on children's reaction to traumatic stress include the following: increased exposure to violence was significantly and positively related to internalizing problems, externalizing problems, total adjustment problems, and traumatic stress symptoms; while no direct effect was found between the presence of intimate partner violence (IPV) and internalizing behaviors, child traumatic stress symptoms did have a mediating effect on internalizing behavior; the presence of IPV within the past 2 years was significantly and directly related to children's current externalizing problems; and while no direct effect was found between the presence of IPV and total adjustment problems, child traumatic stress symptoms did have a mediating effect on total adjustment. This study investigated how children's reaction to traumatic stress might be associated with other adjustment problems. Data for the study were obtained from a sample of mothers, n=120, who completed the Revised Conflicts Tactics Scale to determine the severity of violence present in their relationship with their partner. Additional information was obtained on the presence of adjustment problems in their children and the extent to which their children demonstrated a variety of traumatic stress symptoms. Analysis of the findings suggests that the presence of traumatic stress symptoms in children has a partial mediating effect on externalizing problems and a full mediating effect on internalizing and total adjustment problems. Study limitations and implications for policy are discussed. Table and references